Statement by Mike Palkovic
Executive Vice President, Operations, DIRECTV Group, Inc., Washington, DC
On the "State Video Tax Fairness Act of 2007"

WASHINGTON - "The issue here is whether states, at the urging of big cable, should be allowed to punish consumers for choosing satellite TV over cable TV. All across the country 30 million consumers have fled cable in favor of satellite TV, because satellite companies offer them more channels, better customer service, and better picture quality -- and typically do it all at a lower price. State legislatures have been passing laws that impose higher taxes on consumers who make that choice.

Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Cannon have recognized how unfair it is for a state to put its finger on the scale of robust competition between satellite and cable, and are attempting to close a loophole in the law with a bill that says, very simply, 'No discrimination.' Period. The principle is so straightforward and so compelling that a diverse coalition of consumer organizations have endorsed this bill, including the Consumers Union; the Media Access Project; Public Knowledge; the National Rural Telephone Cooperative; the National Taxpayers Union; and the Consumer Electronics Association."