GOP Senators Lead Push to Allow States to Impose Internet Sales Tax

Cybercast News Service ^ | July 24, 2015 | 2:10 PM EDT | Rudy Takala

[Olog-hai]

Republicans in the Senate are leading efforts to pass legislation that would allow the states to impose a sales tax on online transactions.

Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) has proposed the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA), which would allow states to "collect and remit sales and use taxes with respect to remote sales.” The bill includes an exemption for companies whose gross remote sales are less than $1 million per year. The legislation enjoys support particularly among legislators in rural states who believe that online retailers are encroaching on sales made out of traditional storefronts. […]

This is not the first time Enzi has pushed for an online sales tax. In 2014, he was able to pass the bill in the Senate by combining it with another bill called the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA). Conservatives supported ITFA because it prohibited taxes from being imposed on Internet access service. However, the package never reached the floor of the House for a vote.

While Enzi’s bill stands to pass the Senate with bipartisan support again this year, it still faces strong opposition from conservatives. …

[Sirius Lee]

Glad we voted for severe Conservatives instead of tax ‘n spend leftists in 2014.

[Fresh Wind]

"Read my lips...no new taxes"

Read my lips...no second term.

[Ghost of SVR4]

I read an article not too long ago about the politicians steeped in hookers and blow. The way that DC is acting these days (completely detached from the rest of the country) I can completely see that being the case.
The only other thing I can fathom is lots of them know the game (financially) is soon up so why not go nutz and see just how far they can push things to keep the party going.

[Carry_Okie]

Sounds Fair to me.

[Carry_Okie]

Each has its own tax laws, and therefore, every internet business entity will be required to know the tax regulation of all fifty states ...

Piece of cake for a computer. I thought conservatives believed in Federalism.

Perhaps the only i-net entity that could handle the enormity of the tax regulatory burden would be Amazon ...

BS. There will be web sites with aps for that in weeks, if there aren't already.

I'm not advocating higher tax rates. I am advocating honesty.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

SC already does, I sent the Amazon tax bill to my state representative and told him to pay it, I didn’t vote for it, he did. Never heard a word back.

[Scooter100]

So when I buy something from one of a million foreign-based websites, and the parcel is delivered to me in my state, this new tax will be collected how?

Doing anything weird to the internet is like squeezing a balloon, whatever it is will simply pop up somewhere else.

[timestax]

ping

[napscoordinator]

It’s already being done. I get taxed with Amazon so this is just making it official. The first time they charged me on Amazon with state taxes I was upset but that was over a year ago now.

[Hardens Hollow]

Good one!

[sickoflibs]

RE:”This is not the first time Enzi has pushed for an online sales tax. In 2014, he was able to pass the bill in the Senate by combining it with another bill called the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA). Conservatives supported ITFA because it prohibited taxes from being imposed on Internet access service. However, the package never reached the floor of the House for a vote. “

Cruz is right, there is little difference between many GOP Senators and Democrats.

Fortunately GOP house members didn't go for it.

Why would I vote GOP if they actually passed this?

Amazon now collects sales taxes FOR Maryland because starting last fall they have a physical presence in Maryland, distribution centers which Maryland gave them tax breaks for.(they have grown huge)

These Federal bills are unnecessary. Amazon probably is for them now to crush competition.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”I'm so proud of Gov Kasich! Amazon has opened a distribution center in OH. For our good, of course. Because of that, OH residents now have to pay state tax on Amazon purchases.”

Same here in Maryland last fall, Maryland gave them tax breaks to set them up and Amazon collects $$$ from us to go to Maryland.

Screw these Senate GOP whores.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”I guess I’m just tired of everyone feeling so betrayed. They’re all doing exactly what I expected them to do.
If you expect the worst you’re never disappointed.’

Unlike 2010 and 2014 in 2016 the GOP will have a number of tough states (Senate seats) to defend.

This is because its six years after 2010 (GOP landslide) , not 2008( Dem landslide).

If this is what they have to offer then good riddance. .

[sickoflibs]

RE :”What they SHOULD be doing is presenting a bill to eliminate the sales tax for stores so they can compete with internet sales.”

???

How can the US Senate eliminate State sales taxes?

Even it was constitutional it doesn't sound like a good idea.

When a internet sales company has a physical presence in a state they must collect the sales taxes for the state(like Amazon here), if the company DOESNT have one the state is out of luck. This needs no changes.

[sickoflibs]

RE:”It’s already being done. I get taxed with Amazon so this is just making it official. The first time they charged me on Amazon with state taxes I was upset but that was over a year ago now.”

In Maryland it started Nov 1 last year due to two distribution centers being opened here, that Amazon got tax credits from the state for generating.

That peed me off.
Especially after Martin O Malley raised the state sales tax.

So I signed up from a 30 day free trial of Amazon Prime a month earlier, loaded up with stuff I needed plus a ~ $900 smart TV before they started collecting, then canceled it the last day (so it was free that month) and I haven't bought anything on it since.

But I know I will go back some day, its too convenient.

Amazon wants this law and I am sure is bribing BOTH parties Senators.

[CommerceComet]

I am opposed to excessive taxes. Obviously, some taxes are necessary to maintain necessary government services. I hate paying any taxes but not equally. Conceptually, I am much more comfortable with use taxes (like sales tax) than income taxes. Estate taxes are essentially theft, IMO.

Internet sales tax is a complicated issue. There is nothing in their nature which should make them exempt from taxation. However, administration of the tax is going to be extremely hard to implement without imposing huge burdens on small internet business who cannot afford to hire a professional accountant to keep track of all the tax law changes. I smell the AICPA behind this.

[headstamp 2]

The Stupid Party strikes again.

Another corporatist lobby priority duly pursued by the idiot GOPe.

[CommerceComet]

I'm not sure you're being realistic. You are over-simplifying the problem dramatically. The Board of Equalization of the State of California has over 100 publications to explain how sales and use taxes are to be determined. Of course, many of these are not going to be applicable to an internet business but someone who has reasonable knowledge in that area is going to have to make that call and the business owner is responsible if the wrong call is made.

If an internet business is responsible for collecting sales taxes, would they not be subject to audit by all these taxing authorities? Your state might be fairly reasonable but do you want the brown-shirts from the State of California pouring over the books of your internet business?

[Olog-hai]

Sounds like you get inured to liberalism rather quickly. Whips and scorpions?

[Olog-hai]

Karl Marx once said that the way he saw things, after he made “bourgeois” society collapse, he “would stride through the wreckage a creator”. He really did have that kind of megalomania.