Recent press on online sales tax collection
We’ve been looking at the recent editorials and news articles on online sales tax collection, and we’re encouraged to see that most of them are in favor of it—a position that we’ve long argued to be practical, sensible, and simply right.
From the Tulsa World, “Only fair: Online sales tax is necessary”:
No one likes paying taxes. They are, however, necessary to keep a city and state running. You might not like a sales tax, but you certainly like good roads.
If we’re going to have taxes, it is imperative that everyone pays their share. For years, some shoppers have been skirting local and state sales taxes by purchasing items online that are available locally. That is not fair to those who support local businesses and keep their cities running with local sales taxes. . . .
States and cities . . . need the income that they have coming. Local merchants, who choose to do business here and employ Tulsans and spend their hard-earned money with fellow local merchants and pay their sales taxes, deserve a level playing field.
From the Bismarck Tribune, “Main Street Fairness Act: A bill to close the sales tax loophole”:
Studies show that states are losing about $23 billion annually in sales taxes. The tax is legally due on purchases but goes uncollected because the seller is not required to collect the tax and the purchaser fails to report and remit the tax due. This situation creates a huge disparity and an extreme disadvantage for our main street retailers who are competing with retailers selling over the Internet or by some other remote means. . . .
The Main Street Fairness Act addresses the issue of fairness and levels the playing field for all retailers. . . .
Cities, counties and state government rely on sales and use tax revenue to provide services to our residents and to build and maintain a high quality infrastructure for the businesses operating here. The Main Street Fairness Act is an important bill for the retail industry and states—it provides for fairness across the retail industry while permitting individual state sovereignty and supporting a fair sales tax system. . . .
The proposed legislation will go a long way to support and encourage growth in our local North Dakota businesses along with main street retail industry across the country. We encourage Sens. Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Rep. Rick Berg to sign on to the legislation and support it when it comes up for a vote.
From the Detroit Free Press, “Online sales tax collection rules would level playing field and add funds to state”:
Main Street retailers, the backbone of America, stimulate local economies, build communities and provide good, stable, local jobs. In July retailers added 26,000 jobs to the national economy.
However, these jobs are being threatened by online retailers fighting to preserve an unfair price advantage of 6% over brick-and-mortar stores in Michigan. . . .
In today’s marketplace, the shape of commerce is changing, but the rules remain stuck in 1992—well before the era of the iPad, smart phones and even home Internet access. Online-only retailers are exempt from collecting sales tax at every point of purchase. . . .
Many consumers are often unaware that the tax on online and catalogue purchases already exists. When an online retailer fails to collect the sales tax, it falls to the consumer to report that tax directly to the state, which is often not done.
The Center for Business and Economic Research estimates that this year Michigan will lose more than $125 million in revenue due to the Internet sales tax loophole. As legislators grapple to fill budget gaps, this revenue would go a long way toward adequately funding essential public services: paving roads, keeping police and firefighters on the job, and providing our children with a quality education.
States have been compelled to take action in the absence of a national approach to sales tax collection. But a possible solution is the Main Street Fairness Act, introduced in Congress in July. The bill is designed to grant states the authority to set up a simple and equitable system of tax collection on remote sales and, ultimately, the ability to collect these taxes at the point of purchase. . . .
We need a 21st Century framework to ensure a marketplace that benefits online retailers in addition to brick-and-mortar retailers, who provide good local jobs, support our communities and drive America’s economy.
Our country is overdue for a national solution to the issue of sales tax collection.
From Gazette.net (Maryland), “Inaction on Internet sales tax hurts states”:
For Maryland, collecting sales tax on Internet purchases could yield additional revenue estimated to be in excess of $200 million annually, which the state sorely needs to bring budgets into balance given the lagging condition of our local economy and continued structural deficit.
Without this revenue, which is rightfully owed to the state, programs such as Medicaid, K-12 education and our transportation infrastructure needs will be unmet without additional tax increases. . . .
More importantly, though, such a policy change would level a slanted playing field for bricks and mortar retailers who invest in our local communities and currently charge and collect taxes on sales via the Internet. . . .
Moving forward . . . our federal representatives and Congress as an institution should end this debate and do what’s right for state governments and more importantly for countless mom-and-pop retailers that serve as the backbone of our nation’s economy.
From the Midland (MI) Daily News, “Local businesses like proposed Internet sales tax legislation”:
Legislators hope a newly proposed online sales tax bill will equalize what they consider an unfair playing field between Web retailers and small businesses. . . .
Michigan would save up to $141.5 [million] in lost sales tax revenue if the [state] bill becomes law, improve sales at brick-and-mortar retailers by as much as $126 million and create up to 1,600 jobs, according to a report from the Lansing-based Public Sector Consultants.
Jerry Meier, owner of Meier Camera Shop, 122. W. Main St. in Midland, said he cannot believe the state has chosen to miss out on those tax dollars for so long. “We’ve wondered about this for some time. I think it’s going to make a difference,” Meier said. “Everyone says ‘buy local,’ but when it gets right down to it, they look at (online retailers) as an advantage.”
A 6 percent disadvantage when it comes to sales taxes makes a large difference in the long run, he said. . . .
“Legislators we’ve talked with understand that a sale is a sale is a sale regardless of where it takes place,” said Tom Scott, senior vice president of the Michigan Retailers Association. “Government should not be picking winners and losers by favoring one type of retailer over another — especially when it’s our hometown Michigan retailers who are being hurt by the current situation.”
Posted by FedTax 
