ALEXANDRIA, Va. -

The American International Automobile Dealers Association went to the White House this week to participate in a meeting on tax reform with White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and other auto industry leaders.

Leading AIADA’s charge were president Cody Lusk, vice president of government relations Rachel Robinson and vice chairman and California dealer Howard Hakes, who all supported the administration's efforts to produce a tax reform plan that promotes economic growth, rewards entrepreneurship and creates a level playing field for all Americans.

"Today's meeting was representative of how deeply the Trump administration cares about American businesses, large and small, and wants to see us succeed," Hakes said. "A tax reform bill that allows business owners to invest in their communities and hire new employees will benefit all Americans. It's refreshing to sit at a table with leaders who 'get it' and are ready to take action.”

During the meeting, attendees discussed a number of aspects of a potential tax reform bill, including the contentious 20 percent Border Adjustment Tax (BAT) that has been proposed in the House of Representatives and is opposed by AIADA.

"America's international nameplate dealers fully support federal tax reform but remain deeply opposed to the BAT provision, which would drive up the cost of every vehicle on their lots by an average of $2,000 per vehicle,” Lusk said.

“We were grateful to have an opportunity to share our perspective with the White House, and we are optimistic that a well-crafted tax reform bill, minus the BAT, can make its way through Congress and to the president’s desk for his signature,” Lusk continued.

A 2017 study by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) estimates that U.S. light vehicle sales would immediately fall by 5.6 percent following implementation of a border adjustment tax, resulting in a $34.6 billion overall cost to U.S. consumers.

For more information on how a border adjustment tax would impact America’s international nameplate dealers, visit www.aiada.org/bat.