Posted on 03/10/2015 8:30:40 PM PDT by PROCON
A bipartisan group of senators reintroduced legislation Tuesday to apply sales taxes to all Internet purchases, long a goal of state and local governments as well as traditional "bricks and mortar" retailers. The legislation would require online merchants to collect and remit sales taxes to the local authorities where the purchaser lives.
Similar legislation easily passed the Senate, 69-27, last Congress, but stalled in House due to opposition from the Republican leadership. Passage in the Senate is less likely this time since Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., an opponent of the legislation, is now majority leader.
Proponents nevertheless believe they can still get in through the Senate. "Businesses in Illinois are looking for a level playing field. We came close in the last Congress, but the bill was never acted on in the House of Representatives. I hope that in the 114th Congress we can do what's right for businesses in Illinois and around the country," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a co-sponsor.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
“It’s for the children”
Here in Texas, we have to pay the state sales tax from online retailers like Amazon.com, surprised it’s not that way all over the country.
So an online business would have to send the tax to the where the purchaser lives? This would be a nightmare since buyers live all over the place. I HATE these fricking slimy politicians I hope they all expire soon.
Tax & spend ... the Uniparty in action.
Stop making sense.
(P)Politicians mostly exist for ways to control. Why you might ask? Simple, they believe they know what is best for humanity. Other then the power hungry types, most FEEL they are advancing the human condition without THINKING about unintended consequences.
(P)They FEEL they do good, so they must be right in their actions according to our schools of higher learning. The fact that so many want stuff they haven’t earned and vote for these bleeding-hearts who promise those freebies is why we’re losing a most precious jewel given to mankind.
Funny how this wasn’t an issue when the brick and mortars used catalogs to list their wares to buyers from coast to coast.
It’s all about the money.
The FCC will find a way... < 1/2 sarc >
Uh, thats already happening when I buy from Amazon.com
they have one of those distribution centers in our state now.
I am reminded of it everytime I checkout, grrrr.
Big business loves this because it puts up another barrier for the little guy who’s trying to compete with them. It is a nightmare for a smaller seller to collect taxes for every tax jurisdiction in the USA. It forces the small sellers to sign up with a big player who has the infrastructure to do this, like Amazon.
Yet.
Mark my words, there will be in 10 years or less.
Correct. I sell on Etsy I make hats and it is just me so I am very limited in my sales maybe 4k a year. No way I can afford to collect for every state I sell to. Amazon and the larger stores have lots of help to be compliant.
I just give up F the government.
Funny they have plenty of money to give money to illegal aliens for tax returns that wee never filed or money that was never earned.
With the sub-Democrats and the Democrats in full control of Congress, passage is entirely possible. It would be racist not to pass this tax, you know.
Honestly, what more would a person need to know about a bill other than it was being supported by Dick Durbin?
All of a sudden the last few purchases I made on Amazon had sales tax on them. Illinois voted against this once before, and I can’t figure out why taxes have suddenly turned up.
Its a ridiculous burden to ask businesses to file and pay taxes to 50 different jurisdictions.
Whoever votes for this bill is dead to me.
Nah. I think Obama has learned his lesson. Can’t afford to p*ss off those twenty-something internet addicts if he expects them to keep voting for Democrats. Hence his pivot on “net neutrality”.
The Supreme Court ruled years ago that a merchant must charge sales tax IF they have a brick-and-mortar presence in a particular state (a store, an office, a warehouse, etc.)
Since Texas is such a big state I have to presume there are virtually no online retailer who do not have some presence there.
That was true 20 years ago. I am told there is now software that will calculate the correct sales tax using your nine digit zip code. Don't know your nine digit zip code? The software will also look that up using your address.
The political push for nationwide collection of internet sales tax comes from both brick-and-mortar retailers and states where the big players (e.g., Amazon) have a physical presence and already collect the sales tax.
“I despise those supporting this bill. “
BUMP
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