The 3 Big Things Retailers Want From Washington This Year

Flickr / Nikita KashnerMatt Shay, the president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, listed three lobbying priorities at the NRF's massive retail conference in New York City this week.

1) Get the corporate tax code reformed

2) Open new markets for U.S. products

3) Fix the immigration and visa system in order to attract better talent

Tax reform was the biggest issue that Shay talked about.

Here's what Shay had to say — from the release:

“Now that the fiscal cliff has been avoided, the time has come to address comprehensive tax reform. We want to put the economy on a trajectory to grow again, and tax reform and tax certainty are an essential part of the formula for growth. We can’t achieve that goal by having political battles year after year over temporary, last-minute measures. This is the year for fundamental, comprehensive tax reform that will settle our nation’s tax policy questions on a long-term basis and provide businesses the certainty they need to grow and create the jobs that are so badly needed.”

“Whether they take money out of consumers’ pockets or keep businesses from being competitive in the global market, high taxes are bad for the economy. We must work to ensure that our tax system is fair and that rates are reasonable.”