List of which special interests are pushing the Internet Sales Tax:

[Matt Collins]

SOURCE: hxxp://www.marketplacefairness.org/support/

Businesses Support



Abbell Credit Corporation, Chicago, IL
A Cleaner Place, Oklahoma City, OK
Acadia Realty Trust, White Plains, NY
Airgas, Inc.
Amazon.com
AutoZone, Inc.
Balliet's LLC
Bandals Southwest
Barnes and Noble, Inc.
Beall’s, Inc.
Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Inc.
Ben Bridge Jewelers, Seattle, WA
Best Buy Co., Inc.
Blake Hunt Ventures, Inc., Danville, CA
Book Nook, Monroe, MI
The Brumby Chair Co., Marietta, GA
John Bucksbaum, Private Real Estate Investor/Developer, Former Chairman and CEO of General Growth
Build-A-Bear Workshop®, Saint Louis, MO
Buy.com
Cardinal Camera, Lansdale, PA
CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., Chattanooga, TN
Cencor Realty Services, Dallas, TX
Chesterfield Blue Valley, LLC, St. Louis, MO
The Container Store, Dallas, Texas
The CortiGilchrist Partnership, llc, Al Corti, Principal, San Diego, CA
Dan's Camera City, Allentown, PA
DDR Corp., Beachwood, OH
Demos.org
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.
DLC Management Corp., Tarrytown, NY
Donahue Schriber Realty Group, Costa Mesa, CA
Edens & Avant, Columbia, SC
Evergreen Devco, Inc., Glendale, CA
Fairfield Corporation, Battle Creek, MI
Federal Realty Investment Trust, Rockville, MD
FedTax, Seattle, WA / Topeka, KS / Norwalk, CT
Foot Locker, Inc.
Forest City Enterprises, Inc., Cleveland, OH
Gap Inc., San Francisco, CA
Garrison Pacific Properties, San Rafael, CA
General Growth Properties, Chicago, IL
Glimcher Realty Trust, Columbus, OH
The Greeby Companies, Inc., Chicago, IL
Grismer Tire Co., Dayton, OH
Hart Realty Advisers, Inc., Simsbury, CT
Hephner TV and Electronics, Wichita, KS
The Hocker Group, Louisville, KY
The Home Depot, Inc.
The Howard Group, Albany, NY
Houston Jewelry, Houston, TX
Hy-Vee, Inc.
Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.
Kemper Development Company, Bellevue, WA
Kimco Realty Corporation, New Hyde Park, NY
The King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT
The Kroger Company
L. Michael Foley and Associates, LLC, La Jolla, CA
Larson Binkley, Inc., Kansas City, MO
Lewis Electronics, Shaker Heights, OH
Limited Brands, Inc.
Lowes Companies, Inc.
Malcolm Riley and Associates Los Angeles, CA
Marketing Developments, Inc. MI
Marshall Music Co., Lansing, MI
Mary Lou Fiala, CEO, Loft Unlimited, Ponte Vedra Beach Florida
Meijer, Inc.
Mentor TV, Mentor, OH
Michaels Electrical Supply, Lynbrook, NY
Monte Cristo Bookshop, New London, CT
The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc
The New York Times Editorial Board

J.C. Penney Corporation, Inc.

JCPenney
Pealers Flowers, Camp Hill, PA
Petco Animal Supplies, Inc.

PetSmart, Inc.
Planning Developments, Inc. MI
Point of View Farm, Bangall, NY
Prince Books, Norfolk, VA
Properties, Inc., Chicago, IL
The Pratt Company, Mill Valley, CA
The Rappaport Companies, McLean, VA
REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.)
Reininga Corporation, Healdsburg, CA
Robert M. Sides Family Music Center, PA
Rosen's of Maine, Acadia Highway, ME
Safeway, Inc.
Sears Holdings Corporation
The Seattle Times Editorial Board
The Seayco Group, Bentonville, AK
The Sembler Company, St. Petersburg, FL
Simon Property Group, Indianapolis, IN (major mall company)
Stafford Properties, Atlanta, GA
Steiner + Associates, Columbus, OH
Stirling Properties, Covington, LA
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., Greensboro, NC
Target Corporation
Taubman Realty Group, Bloomfield Hills, MI
The Timberland Company
Tractor Supply Company
Trucks Unique, Albuquerque, NM
Tulsa World Newspaper, Tulsa, OK
USA Today Editorial board
Vestar Development Co. - Phoenix AZ
Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, AR

The Washington Post Editorial Board
Watermark Books and Cafe, Wichita, KS
The Weitzman Group, Dallas, Texas
Wendy's Company
Western Development Corporation, Washington, DC
Westfield, LLC., Los Angeles, CA
WDP Partners, LLC, Phoenix, AZ
Williams Ski & Patio, Highland Park, IL
Wolfe Properties, LLC, St. Louis, MO
Zumiez, Inc., Everett, WA

[Matt Collins]

State & Local Trade Associations Support


Alabama College Bookstore Association
Alabama Retail Association
Alaska Veterinary Medical Association
Alliance of Wisconsin Retailers
Arizona Retailers Association
Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association
Association of Washington Business
California Association of College Stores
California Business Properties Association
California Retailers Association
California Veterinary Medical Association
Carolinas Food Industry Council
City of Carrollton, Texas
Colorado Retail Council
College Stores Association of North Carolina
Colorado Veterinary Medical Association
Connecticut Retail Merchants Association
Economic Alliance of Snohomish Count, WA
The Elgin IL Chamber of Commerce
Delaware Veterinary Medical Association
Florida Retail Federation
Georgia Association of College Stores
Georgia Municipal Association
Georgia Retail Association
Georgia Veterinary Medical Association
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
Idaho Retailers Association
Idaho Veterinary Medical Association
Illinois Association of College Stores
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association
Indiana Retail Council
Indiana Veterinary Medical Association
Iowa Retail Federation
Iowa Veterinary Medical Association
Kentucky Retail Federation
Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association
League of California Cities
Let Freedom Ring
Local First Arizona
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Louisiana Retailers Association
Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association
Maine Merchants Association
Maine Veterinary Medical Association
Maryland Retailers Association
Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association
Michigan Association of College Stores
Michigan Retailers Association
Michigan Veterinary Medical Association
Minnesota Retail Association
Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association
Missouri Retailers Association
Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association
Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce
Nebraska Retail Federation
Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association
Nevada Veterinary Medical Association
New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association
New England Independent Booksellers Association
New Jersey Retail Merchants Association
New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association
New Mexico Retail Association
North Carolina Retail Merchants Association
North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association
North Dakota Retail Association
Northern California Independent Booksellers Association
Ohio Association of College Stores
Ohio Council of Retail Merchants
Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association
Pennsylvania Retailers' Association
Retail Association of Mississippi
Retail Association of Nevada
Retail Council of New York State
Retail Merchants of Hawaii
Retailers Association of Massachusetts
Rhode Island Retail Federation
Rocky Mountain Skyline Bookstore Association (CO, MT, NM, WY)
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
South Carolina Retail Merchants Association
South Carolina Association of Veterinarians
South Dakota Retailers Association
Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance
Southwest College Bookstore Association (AR, LA, TX, OK, NM, MS)
Tennessee Retail Association
Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association
Texas Retailers Association
Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce
Tri-State Bookstore Association
Twin Cities Metro Independent Business Alliance
Utah Food Industry Association
Utah Retail Merchants Association
Utah Veterinary Medical Association
Vermont Retail Association
Virginia Retail Merchants Association
Virginia Veterinary Medical Association
Washington Retail Association
Washington State Veterinary Medical Association
West Virginia Retailers Association
West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association
Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association
Wyoming Retail Association
Wyoming Veterinary Medical Association

[Matt Collins]

National Trade Associations Support


AFL-CIO Department for Professional Employees
American Apparel and Footwear Association
American Booksellers Association
American Conservative Union
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
American Federation of Teachers
American Independent Business Alliance
American Majority
American Specialty Toy Retailing Association
American Sustainable Business Council
an Veterinary Medical Association
Americans for Job Security
Association for Christian Retail
Bipartisan Policy Center - Governors Council
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute
Consumer Electronics Association
Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition
The Council of States Governments
Food Marketing Institute
Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America
Governing Board of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement
Government Finance Officers Association
Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Independent Running Retailer Association
Institute of Real Estate Management
International Association of Fire Fighters
International Council of Shopping Centers
International Downtown Association
International Economic Development Council
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers
Jewelers of America
Laffer Associates
Middle Atlantic College Stores
National Association of Chain Drug Stores
National Association of College Stores
NAIOP, Commercial Real Estate Development Association
NAMM, National Association of Music Merchants
National Association of Chain Drug Stores
National Association of College Stores
National Association of Counties
National Association of Electrical Distributors
National Association of Government Contractors
National Association of Music Merchants
National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts
National Association of Realtors
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors
National Bicycle Dealers Association
National Conference of State Legislatures
National Governors Association
National Grocers Association
National Home Furnishings Association
National League of Cities
National Retail Federation
National School Supply and Equipment Association
National Sporting Goods Association
Newspaper Association of America
North American Retail Dealers Association
Outdoor Industry Association (OIA)
Performance Marketing Association
Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council
Professional Beauty Association
Real Estate Roundtable
Realtors Land Institute
60 Plus Association
Retail Industry Leaders Association
Soccer Dealer Association
Society of Industrial and Office Realtors
The Tax Policy Center
The UAW
The U.S. Conference of Mayors
World Floor Covering Association

[Keith and stuff]

Businesses Support



Abbell Credit Corporation, Chicago, IL
A Cleaner Place, Oklahoma City, OK
Acadia Realty Trust, White Plains, NY
Airgas, Inc.
Amazon.com
AutoZone, Inc.
Balliet's LLC
Bandals Southwest
Barnes and Noble, Inc.
Beall’s, Inc.
Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Inc.


Why did you go through the trouble to highlight some companies and not others? Also, please stop posting this to the https://www.facebook.com/RP2012NH page. Sen. Ayotte is the Senate leader in the fight against this tax and Sen. Shaheen is 1 of the few Democrats against it. There is no need to call him on this issue, unless it is to thank them.

[Matt Collins]

Organizations opposed

American Catalog Mailers Association
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Tax Reform
Campaign for Liberty
Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Computer & Communications Industry Association
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Direct Marketing Association
eBay, Inc.
Freedomworks
Heartland Institute
Heritage Foundation
National Taxpayers Union
NetChoice
Online Stores, Inc.
R Street
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
TechNet
We R Here Coalition

[Valli6]

Mandolin Brothers , seller of fine and rare guitars, etc., sent me an email:

….Although we are a dedicated brick-and-mortar store (with a wonderful showroom of guitars, banjos, mandolins and ukuleles that you should try to visit) about 50% of our sales are shipped to customers in other states.

We agree with every single word that the president of eBay is saying.** The change that we are seeking, as Mr. Donohoe proposes, is that this legislation should not apply to any small business with less than 50 employees or less than ten million dollars a year in out-of-state sales.

You can affect the possibility of change in the legislation by clicking here http://www.ebayinternetsalestax.com/ist/step1_b.asp

About Mandolin Brothers:

For the last 36 years, Mandolin Bros. has become the authority not only for the purchasing of vintage equipment but of appraising and buying for over 200,000 players and collectors. Moreover, the showroom has become widely known as, among other things, "The Best Guitar Store in New York" (New York Magazine). Having sold instruments to some of the top musicians of the 20th century (Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, among others) Mandolin Bros. has become a fixture in the New York City music scene, and a world authority in the appraising, buying, and selling of fretted instruments.

http://www.mandoweb.com/

[angelatc]

Mandolin Brothers , seller of fine and rare guitars, etc., sent me an email:


About Mandolin Brothers:

http://www.mandoweb.com/


The change that we are seeking, as Mr. Donohoe proposes, is that this legislation should not apply to any small business with less than 50 employees or less than ten million dollars a year in out-of-state sales.

Bullshit. This is the "tax the rich!" position. The constitution says that items exported from any state shall not be taxed. If they want to change that, then amend the constitution.

Also, this is a clear case of "taxation without representation." I don't get to vote for California's legislators - why do they get to vote to tax my merchandise?

[kathy88]

Bullshit. This is the "tax the rich!" position. The constitution says that items exported from any state shall not be taxed. If they want to change that, then amend the constitution.

Also, this is a clear case of "taxation without representation." I don't get to vote for California's legislators - why do they get to vote to tax my merchandise?
Fuckin A

[ninepointfive]

Basically any brick and mortar store supports this to edge out online only competition

[FSP-Rebel]

I don't get why Wendy's is advocating for this, it's not like I'm gonna order a jr. bacon cheeseburger online. Check them off my list.

[ninepointfive]

I don't get why Wendy's is advocating for this, it's not like I'm gonna order a jr. bacon cheeseburger online. Check them off my list.

weird, right? Maybe it's because all the ceo's meet and collude with one another on the agenda at hand

[Dr.3D]

Seems like it's all backwards anyway. Isn't it normally the state where the seller is located that gets the tax? Why should it be the state where the buyer is located that gets the tax? That would be like driving to the next state over from yours and then buying something in that state and them having to pay your home state some sort of tax.

[Brian4Liberty]

State & Local Trade Associations Support


Lol. Is everything related to education a scam?

[angelatc]

Seems like it's all backwards anyway. Isn't it normally the state where the seller is located that gets the tax? Why should it be the state where the buyer is located that gets the tax? That would be like driving to the next state over from yours and then buying something in that state and them having to pay your home state some sort of tax.

No, at this point the sale is only taxed if both the buyer and seller have a physical presence in the state. If I sell something to a Michigan resident, I have to collect sales tax. But technically, the tax is charged to the buyer. I am only responsible for collecting it.

But it is legally the responsibility of the buyer to pay the tax. This law only serves to make the out-of-state sellers serve as tax collectors.

In some places, the retailer is prohibited from paying the tax for customers. Indiana was like that with their bottled water tax. You couldn't sell a bottle of water for $1.08 and then send the state a check for .08. You had to sell the water for $1.00, and charge the customer .08. Which meant the registers had to be reprogrammed with another eccentricity.

ANd this illustrates one of the problems with the tax - lots of states have weird little taxes like that. Lots of states give smaller entities (city, county, school boards, water districts, etc) power to tax too. So it isn't just collecting and remitting sales taxes for 50 different states - it's collecting and remitting taxes for about 10,000 different entities.

If this tax passes, there will be software developed that will track the taxes for you, of that I have no doubt. But most taxing agencies want you to have a different number to attach to your remittance. So small sellers would need to complete and maintain paperwork for 10,000 different bureaucratic agencies.

And where does it stop? If I send a book to a buyer in California, why not say that I'm technically then employed in California and make me pay income tax there too?

The left likes this because they'd rather see state's rights dissolved. One big tax to take it all would suit them just fine.

[Valli6]

Bullshit. This is the "tax the rich!" position. The constitution says that items exported from any state shall not be taxed. If they want to change that, then amend the constitution.
Also, this is a clear case of "taxation without representation." I don't get to vote for California's legislators - why do they get to vote to tax my merchandise?
Thanks for that input. ebay is being held up as the company fighting the internet tax, but Donahue's statement indicates that this is not entirely true.

So - it seems that ebay, and perhaps many of the other companies(?) are not against the internet tax at all (as we are being told) - but rather they just want an exception for smaller businesses. That's already a compromise - it will likely end up worse than that.

[LibertyEagle]

Do something about it. I'm on the phone with Wendy's customer relations right now. http://www.wendys.com/contact.jsp

Bed, Bath and Beyond: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/policyPublicRelations.asp?

J.C. Penney's: Corporate Customer Service or call 972-431-8200

Home Depot: Call this number and ask to be connected to Corporate Customer Relations: 1-800-466-3337

REI: Call this number and ask to be connected to Corporate Public Affairs: 1-253-395-3780. You may have to leave a voicemail at that point.

American "Conservative" Union: Main number: Ph: (202) 347-9388. The PR person is "out of the office" and so all you can do is bitch at the guy who answered the phone. Not perfect, no, but somewhat fulfilling. Note: By the way, the guy who answers the phone doesn't like the fact that they endorsed this either. He told me that it was a couple of people on the board who supported it. He seemed pretty depressed about it, to be honest. We talked quite awhile and he was pretty down about real (small government constitutional) conservative principles being abandoned by the so-called conservative groups.

Lowe's: Call this number for Corporate PR and tell them what it is about and they will contact you to Corporate Customer Relations. 704-758-2917.

The Container Store: 888-266-8246. I asked to speak to corporate Public Relations at this point. You will be asked what it is about and you tell them. She contacted the VP of Public Relations, C. Shilling (female), and apparently this is the first they have heard of it. I gave them the website (http://www.marketplacefairness.org/support/) where their name was listed. Then, I was directed to Ms. Shilling's voicemail to leave her my callback number, as she wanted to look into it before talking to me. I was the first person who had called them about this. So, call these people, folks. Let them know you damn well care. I use the term "un-American" when I talk about them using big government force to shut down their competition. It seems to make them pause. (Of course they could just think I'm crazy.. :p) I also tell them I will never shop at their store again and will tell all of my colleagues what they have done.

If you do not let these companies/associations know you give a damn, they won't ever know.

[angelatc]

Thanks for that input. ebay is being held up as the company fighting the internet tax, but Donahue's statement indicates that this is not entirely true.

So - it seems that ebay, and perhaps many of the other companies(?) are not against the internet tax at all (as we are being told) - but rather they just want an exception for smaller businesses. That's already a compromise - it will likely end up worse than that.


Yes, as a long time eBay seller, I find this whole scenario pretty funny. You have to know the whole story;

Back in the early days, Pierre the founder wanted to create a level playing field. That meant that no seller got discounts on their fees, and nobody got preference in search results. Of course, some of the bigger sellers started lobbying management for special favors. When Pierre resigned from the day to day operations, things started to change.

Now under the leadership of Donahoe, the bigger sellers get all kinds of special discounts and deals, and the search results favor your items if you do a big dollar volume and have a big sell through rate. (That creates a huge amount of fraud problems, but I don't want to digress.)

So there is a big part of me that thinks it's pretty funny that the same sellers who went out of their way to create a system that screws their smaller competitors is now screaming about the creation of a system that screws them as the smaller competitors.

I don't do anywhere near $500,000 or $1,000,000 a year. This tax won't affect me in the least. I just have principles.

[angelatc]

Do something about it. I'm on the phone with Wendy's customer relations right now. http://www.wendys.com/contact.jsp


You're right - this is what needs to happen. The left managed to drive Glenn Beck off the air because they sent after their advertisers.

I pulled my listings off Amazon, and told them why, but they didn't seem to care.

[Matt Collins]

If this tax passes, there will be software developed that will track the taxes for you, of that I have no doubt. But most taxing agencies want you to have a different number to attach to your remittance. So small sellers would need to complete and maintain paperwork for 10,000 different bureaucratic agencies.

And where does it stop? If I send a book to a buyer in California, why not say that I'm technically then employed in California and make me pay income tax there too?It would be impossible to keep track of, and an unmanageable burden on the small businesses. For fear of running against a slipperty slope fallacy, I will go ahead and say that the next thing they would advocate to "fix" this disastrous and unmanageable problem is a federal sales tax. That's exactly where this is heading and it's classic big-government strategy. We'll create a problem to make conditions horrible, and then we'll offer a big-government solution to the problem that was just created by big government because people are clamoring for change.

[Matt Collins]

Thanks for that input. ebay is being held up as the company fighting the internet tax, but Donahue's statement indicates that this is not entirely true.

So - it seems that ebay, and perhaps many of the other companies(?) are not against the internet tax at all (as we are being told) - but rather they just want an exception for smaller businesses. That's already a compromise - it will likely end up worse than that.

I assure you that eBay is fighting this thing tooth and nail.

[Natural Citizen]

Do something about it. I'm on the phone with Wendy's customer relations right now. http://www.wendys.com/contact.jsp



I know that this is probably none of my business but i just have to ask. Why the heck are you calling Wendy's?

[libertyjam]

Seems like it's all backwards anyway. Isn't it normally the state where the seller is located that gets the tax? Why should it be the state where the buyer is located that gets the tax? That would be like driving to the next state over from yours and then buying something in that state and them having to pay your home state some sort of tax.

This has been my thought as well

[qh4dotcom]

Can someone please explain the hypocrisy of Amazon?

They terminated affiliates because they didn't want to collect sales taxes in the states where the affiliates were located....and now they are for the sales taxes they didn't want to collect?

[Brian4Liberty]

Can someone please explain the hypocrisy of Amazon?

They terminated affiliates because they didn't want to collect sales taxes in the states where the affiliates were located....and now they are for the sales taxes they didn't want to collect?

It's so horrible, they decided they better get involved in writing it.

[angelatc]

It's so horrible, they decided they better get involved in writing it.


Well, that, and they've begin building warehouses in different states. Their position changed only because they now have the infrastructure in place.

eBay big sellers will always have the option of moving to Amazon, who will probably offer the tax collection and remittance service as part of their annual fee based program. So this is a chance for Amazon to quash eBay.

[LibertyEagle]

I know that this is probably none of my business but i just have to ask. Why the heck are you calling Wendy's?

Apparently, you didn't read the thread. Wendy's is on the list of companies that support the internet tax bill.

[buck000]

So, I pay a small fee each year to keep photos on SmugMug.com.

They just sent me a notice that Texas is requiring them to charge sales tax.

I thought this tax was to level the playing field with brick & mortar?

There is no brick & mortar equivalent for online photos, unless maybe there are SmugMug servers in TX, which still makes this tax silly.

What a pain.

[Natural Citizen]

Apparently, you didn't read the thread. Wendy's is on the list of companies that support the internet tax bill.

Actually, no I didn't read the thread. I've been spending my time with the flipside of the issue which is, unfortunately, less discussed in these particular circles.

Proceed...

[angelatc]

So, I pay a small fee each year to keep photos on SmugMug.com.

They just sent me a notice that Texas is requiring them to charge sales tax.

I thought this tax was to level the playing field with brick & mortar?

There is no brick & mortar equivalent for online photos, unless maybe there are SmugMug servers in TX, which still makes this tax silly.

What a pain.


On your subscription, or do you sell prints in Texas?

[angelatc]

Actually, no I didn't read the thread. I've been spending my time with the flipside of the issue which is, unfortunately, less discussed in these particular circles.

Proceed...


No- wait. Do tell us what the flipside of this issue is. We like to hear all sides of an argument.

[Keith and stuff]

Seems like it's all backwards anyway. Isn't it normally the state where the seller is located that gets the tax? Why should it be the state where the buyer is located that gets the tax? That would be like driving to the next state over from yours and then buying something in that state and them having to pay your home state some sort of tax.

No. With income, sales and use taxes it is either or. I'll use NH as an example. Since NH has no income tax, if someone from NH works in MA for 30 hours during a week and in NH for 5 hours during a week and in ME for 5 hours during a week, that person owns MA tax on 30 hours of work and ME tax on 5 hours of work. If someone from MA shops in NH for a TV, that person owns MA for the MA use tax on the TV.

It is a complicated and hard to understand system and this bill will just make it more complicated.

[LibertyEagle]

Actually, no I didn't read the thread. I've been spending my time with the flipside of the issue which is, unfortunately, less discussed in these particular circles.

Proceed...

Or, you could get off of thy pulpit, and DO something constructive and start calling these companies who are in support of this legislation. That is, unless you WANT it to pass.

[Dr.3D]

No, at this point the sale is only taxed if both the buyer and seller have a physical presence in the state. If I sell something to a Michigan resident, I have to collect sales tax. But technically, the tax is charged to the buyer. I am only responsible for collecting it.
~Snip
If somebody drove up to Michigan and bought something from you, Michigan would be collecting the tax from the person who came up from Ohio.
This is the point I'm trying to get across. It's the state the seller is in that usually gets the taxes.

[FSP-Rebel]

Just logged my complaint with Wendy's w/ customer service. Apparently, they're gonna have someone contact me again to see if 'we can resolve the issue' to which I said that would be great.

[angelatc]

If somebody drove up to Michigan and bought something from you, Michigan would be collecting the tax from the person who came up from Ohio.
This is the point I'm trying to get across. It's the state the seller is in that usually gets the taxes.

That's not necessarily true. Way back in the day I lived in Florida but bought a car in Ohio. I didn't register it in Ohio, and as a result didn't pay Ohio sales tax on the purchase because I was a Florida resident. I paid Florida sales tax because I was a Florida resident.

There are a surprising number of states that will refund your sales tax if you live out of state but buy something in that state, but you have to ask. For example, here's Washington's code: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=82.08.0273

Most people don't know this, but it's true in a lot of states that if you just show your out of state driver's license, the retailer doesn't have to collect tax.

[Matt Collins]

Can someone please explain the hypocrisy of Amazon?

They terminated affiliates because they didn't want to collect sales taxes in the states where the affiliates were located....and now they are for the sales taxes they didn't want to collect?


Well, that, and they've begin building warehouses in different states. Their position changed only because they now have the infrastructure in place.

eBay big sellers will always have the option of moving to Amazon, who will probably offer the tax collection and remittance service as part of their annual fee based program. So this is a chance for Amazon to quash eBay.


Pretty much this.


Amazon is moving to next and even same day delivery in may places which means they'll have a physical presence in most states. Because of that they will then have to collect sales tax on the majority of their customers. That puts them at a disadvantage compared to many other online retailers. So they want everyone else to be shackled with a sales tax too, plus a firm as big as Amazon is big enough to handle the burden, while the vast majority of e-commerce sites are not.

[RickyJ]

Basically any brick and mortar store supports this to edge out online only competition

Yeah, which really makes it odd that Amazon is supporting this since it will hurt them the most. I think all sales tax should be eliminated. You can't get the economy going by taxing spending when the only thing that will get the economy going is spending.

[angelatc]

Yeah, which really makes it odd that Amazon is supporting this since it will hurt them the most. I think all sales tax should be eliminated. You can't get the economy going by taxing spending when the only thing that will get the economy going is spending.


No, it will not hurt them the most. They have the infastructure in place. What it does is drives smaller retailers either out of business or to their site.

Patrick from Overstock commented on it, (http://www.frequency.com/video/overstockcoms-patrick-byrne-on-internet/91256988/-/5-2) and mentioned how many millions it cost them to modify their software just to adjust to one additional state. Amazon already spent that money.

So if I have a small website, I likely won't have millions of dollars to to throw at my software package. So I'll be forced to move my merchandise to a platform like Amazon or Overstock, giving them a cut of my pie while losing control of my merchandising.

That last one isn't any small concession. For example, Amazon wants all their pictures to meet certain standards, including one that states all clothing must be modeled on live models. So if I'm selling a shirt, I can't sell it on Amazon unless I hire a live model. If I were that small website owner, I would likely need to retake hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures to comply.

I support Amazon's right to demand their sellers behave in a specific manner, but I certainly don't support their right to economically force me onto their platform.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Well, that, and they've begin building warehouses in different states. Their position changed only because they now have the infrastructure in place.

eBay big sellers will always have the option of moving to Amazon, who will probably offer the tax collection and remittance service as part of their annual fee based program. So this is a chance for Amazon to quash eBay.I wonder how much Corporate welfare BIG BOX stores/warehouses receive from the taxpayers for big their HQ, mega warehouses in those respective states to either stay or move to a location? That's the kicker, corporations in conjunction with the political prostitutes sell US out by their insider deals, and do it all by using the people's tax dollars.

It's a perpetual hysteresis loop of; racketeering/legal extortion/bribery/trusts/corruption, between big business, corporate welfare, campaign donations, employment packages for politicians, and government at all levels.

[jtap]

Just logged my complaint with Wendy's w/ customer service. Apparently, they're gonna have someone contact me again to see if 'we can resolve the issue' to which I said that would be great.

I'm quite curious why they are for this.

[Natural Citizen]

I'm quite curious why they are for this.

This will ultimately be excused as a matter of security. Much like we saw down in Kentucky when the photography businesses merged with state and scribbled up rules that there would be no detachable lenses because it was a matter of security. The only security that was infringed upon was their profits. Or at least that's what could have happened had the corporations not repatriated. I know that's a crude example but the only thing I can think of off of the top of my head.

Given the language of CISPA and changing infrastructure from within the IRS/DHS it's more transparent. I know for a fact that people around here are aware of this and is why I'm baffled by the "internet tax" gripes (although I get that it is unconstitutional but this is what happens when you let corporations have the gift of constitution...repatriation...people are calling fukin Wendy's regarding legislation now). Griping about the tax itself really just provides cover for the larger political infrastructure happenening now with some of these large corporations who are merging/delegating security measures.

People who sell via the www are in for some serious headaches. May as well throw on a browncoat. :rolleyes:

They're just testing the waters with people is all. Looking for useful idiots.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

Why did you go through the trouble to highlight some companies and not others? Also, please stop posting this to the https://www.facebook.com/RP2012NH page. Sen. Ayotte is the Senate leader in the fight against this tax and Sen. Shaheen is 1 of the few Democrats against it. There is no need to call him on this issue, unless it is to thank them.

Because everyone knows what Amazon is, no one knows what Chesterfield Blue Valley, LLC is

[jtap]

Can we point to a day in the past where our "representatives" stopped representing us and started representing large businesses and corporations?

[Natural Citizen]

Can we point to a day in the past where our "representatives" stopped representing us and started representing large businesses and corporations?

May 10, 1886 . Shit, that's easy, jtap.

[TNforPaul45]

Matt, how did you compile these lists? I would think Amazon would NOT support this, seeing as they are going to lose a lot of money on this. They are creating warehouses in different states (Just opened two up in Middle Tennessee) and creating some jobs. But it doesn't seem logical they would be for it (though I've not kept up with it).

[Matt Collins]

Matt, how did you compile these lists? I would think Amazon would NOT support this, seeing as they are going to lose a lot of money on this. They are creating warehouses in different states (Just opened two up in Middle Tennessee) and creating some jobs. But it doesn't seem logical they would be for it (though I've not kept up with it).

See post #36 to understand why Amazon supports this


Also hxxp://www.marketplacefairness.org/support/ is where I got the list from. Good catch, I just posted it in the OP as I forgot to earlier.

[The Free Hornet]

I don't get why Wendy's is advocating for this, it's not like I'm gonna order a jr. bacon cheeseburger online. Check them off my list.

... but the tax their customers pay has gone from a few percent, six percent, nine percent, ten percent,... (Crook County, Illinois),... eleventy percent!!!:


Chicago Area Food Taxes

The Chicago area imposes the highest taxes on restaurant food items of any area in Illinois. In addition to the Illinois state tax of 6.25 percent, restaurant food purchases in Chicago are subject to Cook county tax of 1.25 percent and a Chicago city tax of 1.25 percent. Cook county and its surrounding counties also impose an Regional Transportation Authority tax on food -- in Cook County, this tax is 1 percent; in surrounding counties, it is 0.75 percent. Downtown Chicago restaurants are also subject to a 1 percent Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority tax, bringing the total sales tax on restaurants in this area of Chicago to 11 percent.

www.ehow.com/info_8729101_tax-restaurant-food-illinois.html (http://www.ehow.com/info_8729101_tax-restaurant-food-illinois.html)

As such, it is possible their position is understandable without being justifiable.


Edit: They are trying to shed some of the tax load they bear.

[otherone]

What it does is drives smaller retailers either out of business or to their site.



And now we further devolve into the fascist corporatism that Ron Paul warned us about. Our government represents the interests of Big Business ONLY.

[Keith and stuff]

Matt, how did you compile these lists? I would think Amazon would NOT support this, seeing as they are going to lose a lot of money on this. They are creating warehouses in different states (Just opened two up in Middle Tennessee) and creating some jobs. But it doesn't seem logical they would be for it (though I've not kept up with it).
Amazon.com is the biggest pusher of this in the US. It has created partnerships with several states where it gets out of lots of taxes because it puts warehouses in those states. Additionally, I beleive it even has federal contracts. Don't get me wrong. At first, Amazon tried to do the right thing. It saw the handwriting on the wall. This is a major issue. States encouraged it to play ball and Amazon.com did. Now the federal government has encouraged it to play ball and Amazon.com jumped at the chance.

[CPUd]

http://i.imgur.com/DAoOd55.jpg

[Mr.NoSmile]

I don't get why Wendy's is advocating for this, it's not like I'm gonna order a jr. bacon cheeseburger online. Check them off my list.

I like that, and I am gonna steal that line.

[LibertyEagle]

Bump for doing something. I am adding contact information to this post as I call. http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?413427-List-of-which-special-interests-are-pushing-the-Internet-Sales-Tax&p=5010953&viewfull=1#post5010953