Senate Sales Tax Fairness Vote a ‘Victory’: Retailers

[Sherman A1]

The U.S. Senate’s passage of the marketplace fairness amendment to the Fiscal 2014 budget resolution have won the wholehearted approval of two influential industry groups, the National Retail Federation (RILA) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). The Senate voted 75 to 24 in favor of the amendment, which was introduced by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and received strong bipartisan support from Sens. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.).The legislation aims to give states the ability to better enforce their respective sales tax laws.

Thanking Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Durbin for their ongoing efforts to advance the issue, Matthew Shay, president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based NRF, noted: “This is a critically important issue for retailers -- both large and small -- across the country. Both brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce leaders understand that the Marketplace Fairness Act is commonsense legislation dedicated to protecting states’ rights, strengthening our communities and preserving our free market system.”

Added Shay, “NRF members have worked tirelessly advocating for [the Marketplace Fairness Act], and we will continue to make this a top legislative priority moving forward,” though such methods as education and lobbying lawmakers “on the importance of leveling the sales-tax playing field for all retailers -- no matter their preferred channel.”

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/industry-intelligence/id37664/senate-sales-tax-fairness-vote-a-victory-retailers/

[JPZenger]

1. Many states target sales tax revenues to public education

For many years Amazon played games to avoid sales tax. Where they had major facilities in a state (which meant the state could collect sales tax under federal law), they called that facility a separate corporation so they could avoid sales tax. Whenever a state tried to tax them, they threatened to shut down facilities in that state or to cut off all of the independent affiliated merchants who lived in that state.

[leftyohiolib]

2. bam's blaming their failing business on internet sales- on line buying is sooooo much easier than

driving to their store fighting for parking getting ticketed cause the meter expired maybe they have what you're looking for maybe not , deal with the attitude of the store employees who arent paid well so they do give a shit, blah blah blah ....

[ananda]

3. I buy online when ..

.. I need or want a product I can't find in a store.

And of course, I go for free shipping and no sales tax wherever possible.