In an interview yesterday morning, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds (R) announced his support of the Main Street Fairness Act, sponsored by Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.) which would make it easier for states to charge sales taxes on catalog, mail order and internet sales. One analysis of the mail order and internet sales tax exemption by the Brookings Institution found that the amount of lost sales tax in 2008 was $3.9 billion.
Republican Governor Supports Democratic House Member’s Plan to End Internet Tax Exemption
Catalog, Distribution Channel, DRTV Retailer, Infomercial, Mobile telephone, Worldwide Web
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Jul 302010
Pressure Mounts to Tax Catalog, TV and Web Sales
Catalog, Distribution Channel, DRTV Retailer, Geography, Infomercial, Mobile telephone, USA, Worldwide Web
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Jul 212010
Influential tech columnist Bill Snyder advocated for an end to the sales tax exemption for catalog and web retailers earlier this month. And in an editorial today, the Lincoln (NE) Journal Star seconded the motion. Here is how Snyder put it, “The Internet is no longer a baby that needs to be cosseted and protected from the real world, and favoring Internet business over brick-and-mortar ones via a tax exemption is not fair.” He goes on to suggest that the current fiscal crisis in many states may pave the way for passage of the Main Street Fairness Act (H.R. 5660), which was introduced this month by Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.)
No industry wishes to lose out on tax breaks, special treatment or other favors from government, but non-store retailers should prepare for the end of this one soon. It is wholly without merit, and there is a long list of government services to be paid for.
