Tax deductibility: once more into the breach By Roy Furchgot

WASHINGTON--Like a movie monster that won't stay dead, the possibility that advertising won't be entirely tax deductible has again returned here to terr

“The problem is, no one knows what ‘a portion’ means,” said Jeff Custer, a spokesman for the American Advertising Federation.
Ad taxes have been on the minds of legislators regularly since 1986 when a published report cited advertising as a potentially lucrative source of cash for the government fill.
But even if the issue gets a hearing this time around, there is no guarantee it will win support. “I don’t think it is a high priority,” said Jim Jaffe, a spokesman for the Ways and Means Committee. “This (list of hearings items) is basically a laundry list of items members of the committee felt strongly enough to lobby the chairman on. Some things that get hearings have their moment in the sun, then disappear.”
Ad industry lobbyists are expecting support from Mike Kopetski (D-Ore.), a former adman who has voiced his opposition to taxing advertising.
The remaining nine members of the subcommittee have been less vocal with their opinions on advertising issues.
AAF and the Ad Tax Coalition have already applied to speak at the hearings.
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)