To: Daniel Schwartz, Burger King CEO
Burger King: Don't Abandon America to Dodge Taxes
I urge you to keep your headquarters in America -- and halt any plans to leave for Canada in order to dodge U.S. taxes.
Burger King is the company it is because of America, and it's unacceptable for you to leave in order to avoid paying your fair share in taxes. We're tired of big corporations skipping the check when it comes time to pay taxes.
Why is this important?
In a move that would allow it to move its headquarters out of the country, Burger King is considering a plan to buy a Canadian coffee chain, Tim Hortons. (1)
If Burger King does indeed move their headquarters, it will mean they will be taxed at a much lower rate than American-based companies in a scheme that is referred to as a corporate "inversion." The crazy thing is, they don't actually have to move their CEO or any of their central offices, they can just claim on paper to be headquartered in Canada. (2)
The news comes after dozens of companies have pursued similar schemes which will cost us billions in lost taxes.
We can't let big corporations continue to dodge taxes -- everyone should play by the same rules. How can we invest in education or job growth if large, profitable companies are scheming to avoid paying their fair share?
I'm confident that if enough of us stand up we can stop these inversions. Earlier this month, Walgreens backed off a plan to move their headquarters overseas after public outcry. But it won't happen unless we speak out, together.
LEARN MORE:
1. Burger King in Talks to Buy Tim Hortons and Move to Canada
http://goo.gl/OTeCSk
2. Burger King In Talks To Buy Canada's Tim Hortons To Dodge U.S. Taxes
http://goo.gl/0Kxu27