Posted on 09/21/2011 1:28:54 PM PDT by MichCapCon
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that state and local governments cannot force out-of-state companies to collect taxes for them, since this would interfere with interstate commerce. States and localities may only require companies with a "substantial physical presence" or "nexus" in their state to collect sales taxes. That's as it should be.
But some public officials aren't content with that ruling. Gov. Engler, for example, strongly supports a National Governors' Association (NGA) proposal that would apply sales taxes to virtually all Internet, catalog, and 1-800 number purchases. Labeled the "Streamlined Sales Tax Project," the proposal would deputize a private "third-party entity" to collect and distribute those taxes and could — if enough states approve it and Congress endorses it — open the door to a national sales tax.
(Excerpt) Read more at michigancapitolconfidential.com ...
This was written in 2001. John Engler hasn’t been Governor of Michigan since January 2003.
So the correct title should be “Return of the Old Article About Internet Sales Tax”?
It seems all backwards to me. What about the businesses in our (or any) state that benefit from selling online? Sales around these parts (Detroit) have declined so we make up for it by selling online. The majority of these sales are indeed to companies that wouldn't be subject to a sales tax anyway.
Why not put some effort into going forward instead of looking back? We need more jobs. Not a few pennies chased after.
Trying to get the government’s hand out of your pocket is like a paraplegic trying to shinny up a pole greased with pig fat.
Meanwhile, into how many languages is it necessary to translate the words, “Cut your d*mned expenses, you f***ing idiots!” before the message is heard by someone, somewhere?
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