Texas Comptroller Don Huffines held a roundtable discussion with small business owners, restaurant operators, and physicians to examine how the state's controversial tax on data processing services is affecting their operations.
Participants included online marketplace sellers using platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy; restaurant owners using delivery services like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub; and physicians paying to access electronic medical records. All are subject to sales tax under the state's interpretation of the data processing tax, which has been in effect since the Legislature adopted it in 1987.
"After listening to these hard-working Texans, it is clear we need a comprehensive review of how this tax is applied," Huffines said. He was sworn in on Aug. 1 and immediately ordered a performance review of all agency operations.
Huffines said the feedback from the roundtable would inform his Taxpayer First Project, an initiative to ensure "fairness, transparency, and respect in how the state administers its tax laws."