Democratic senator wants Internet sales taxes (& Republican Enzi-WY also!)

Cnet ^ | 4/12/11 | Declan McCullagh

[GreaterSwiss]

Update 10:30 a.m. PT: I've heard back from Sen. Mike Enzi's office. It sent me e-mail this morning saying: "Senator Enzi plans to co-sponsor the Main Street Fairness bill with Senator Durbin. As far as a timeline or drafts, you'll have to check with Senator Durbin's office."

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20052999-281.html#ixzz1JL8wTRdz A Democratic senator is preparing to introduce legislation that aims to end the golden era of tax-free Internet shopping.

The proposal--expected to be made public soon after Tax Day--would rewrite the ground rules for Internet and mail order sales by eliminating the ability of Americans to shop at Web sites like Amazon.com and Overstock.com without paying state sales taxes.

Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second most senior Senate Democrat, will introduce the bill after the Easter recess, a Democratic aide told CNET.

"Why should out-of-state companies that sell their products online have an unfair advantage over Main Street bricks-and-mortar businesses?" Durbin said in a speech in Collinsville, Ill., in February. "Out-of-state companies that aren't paying their fair share of taxes are sticking Illinois residents and businesses with the tab."

At the moment, Americans who shop over the Internet from out-of-state vendors aren't always required to pay sales taxes at the time of purchase. Californians buying books from Amazon.com or cameras from Manhattan's B&H Photo, for example, won't pay the sales taxes at checkout time that they would if shopping at a local mall--which is what Durbin means by giving online retailers an "unfair advantage."

On the other hand, there are some 7,500 different taxing jurisdictions in the United States, each with a set of very precise rules describing what can and can't be taxed and at what rate. That makes it challenging terrain for retailers to navigate.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20052999-281.html#ixzz1JL903e1g

[Borges]

When you buy at a brick and mortar store you are paying for the gas and/or transport it took to get you to the store and back home with the item you purchased, in other words, shipping fees.

[commish]

The Fallacy of this whole bill is that people are purchasing online SOLELY because they don’t have to pay sales tax. That is just blatantly false.

Even if Sales taxes are enforced (and most large retailers charge them online now), the fact is - people buy online because:
1. IT IS CHEAPER
2. THEY CAN GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

In that regard this bill will do NOTHING, ZIP, NADA, etc etc for ‘MAIN STREET brick and Mortar stores”.

[CottonBall]

Here in VA we have to report our purchases on the internet and include the cost of shipping if the term “shipping and handling” is included on the invoice.

Same here. I imagine all states with a state income tax have this line on their tax forms.

These idiots don't realize that the consumer pays the tax, not the internet business. (Theoretically)

[denydenydeny]

It puts the local store at a disadvantage.

Every "local store" in America sells on the Internet. This "protecting main street" BS is being done to squeeze more dollars out of people and for no other reason.

[Dengar01]

Why is this creature my senator?

[Dengar01]

Turbin Durbin Ping!!!

Do we have a legit candidate to face this bastard? The last few times he's been up we have had nobodies face him. That would be due to the F'ing combine.

I know Kirk was not our choice, however, I like DJ's idea about Congressman Peter Roskam. I am sick to death of the same old has beens like Jim Edgar, Jim Ryan, Judy Baar, ect... The combine RINOs have utterly destroyed this state.

I wouldn't mind Bill Brady making a run he should have name recognition by now. We just need to expose how insanely radical Turbin Durbin is and that he has done absolutely NOTHING for Illinois.

[Poison Pill]

I and 99 percent of other Americans have not heard of such a tax.

You didn't know that your state has a sales tax?

[yup2394871293]

Just a stealth version of a national sales tax

[rockrr]

I agree but under a different label so that they can still pursue the NST separately.

[NoGrayZone]

""Why should out-of-state companies that sell their products online have an unfair advantage over Main Street bricks-and-mortar businesses?"

It's called the free market idiot!

[BigEdLB]

I think Mr Enzi has to be taken to the woodshed and given a lecture about the facts of life... He is normally a pretty good guy...

[rwfromkansas]

Uh, yes. Not a “use” tax on Internet purchases though we are supposed to report to the state.

[Postman]

T. E. A. !!!!!!

[Poison Pill]

Uh, yes. Not a “use” tax on Internet purchases though

So, now you know. Will you start paying the tax now?

[RIRed]

“Speaker Boehner better step up ASAP and cut this off at the knees. Nip it in the bud.”

Nah. He’ll just accept a smaller tax than the one No Nickname Needed Durbin wants, and then brag about how he cut taxes.

[rwfromkansas]

No, since I already have to pay sales tax on purchases in my state. Otherwise, I probably would since it was the right thing to do.

[Spktyr]

Not really. What’s to stop ‘local’ businesses from selling on the Internet and taking advantage of this ‘tax break’?

Answer: Nothing.

[Spktyr]

You forgot one:

3. THEY DON’T HAVE TO WASTE HOURS AND GALLONS OF GAS DRIVING AROUND IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE GOODS THEY WANT, BUT CAN HAVE THEM DELIVERED INSTEAD.

[nikos1121]

These bas*ards are unreal. Durbin wants to tax garage sales also.

I will tell you this, if I must pay taxes for online purchases, I’ll stop buying online, plain and simple.

What the he*l is with this Enzi?

[reg45]

These guys qualify as scum.

That's an insult to scum.