You said — The internet has been pretty much tax free so far. When I buy out of state they seldom add taxes. So there really is a big deal here. And the on-line places like QVC and HSN are going to have a lot of customers angry over this.
—
Sure..., I know that people have been “getting away with it” for years. Don’t I really know that, since I’ve had the same experience. The difference is, that I know the states have always required that sales tax to be paid — but — they haven’t had a way to “make it so”. They’ve had to depend upon “voluntary sales tax payment” — and we all know how well “voluntary” works... LOL...
If we had to “voluntarily” pay sales tax at the cash registers, how many do you think would *really* volunteer to do that?! No, hardly anyone would do it (but a few would...). It’s only because the state taxing authorities on sales taxes have made it be “part of the system” that they are able to collect the sales tax.
And it’s the same thing here, it’s been “voluntary” for many years (and no one pays it...) but now it’s not going to be “voluntary” any more and they will do it just like when you buy something “in person”...
This has been a long time in the coming and no one should be surprised.
I don’t think we should think of this in terms of it’s a natural inevitability. We should fight this tooth and nail.
The internet was originally established as a tax free zone. There’s no way in hell we should surrender that distinction. And since taxes have not been collected, it hasn’t really be a taxed zone yet, in practice.
We need to scream bloody murder about this.
“And the on-line places like QVC and HSN are going to have a lot of customers angry over this.”
I pay CA sales tax on all hsn/qvc orders. Don’t they charge in every other state?
This is what this all about, trying to get states taxing interstate commerce which is unconstitutional, but like that has ever stopped congress before...