Amazon to start charging taxes in TX - starting July 1, 2012 (Dallas: buyer, calculating)

[TexasRedneck]

Why? Why one or the other? Without a physical presence within Texas, there is no basis for them to have to collect state sales tax. Period. Obviously, they cut a deal - ultimately, it's US that are going to pay.

[MattTx]

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

Why? Why one or the other? Without a physical presence within Texas, there is no basis for them to have to collect state sales tax. Period. Obviously, they cut a deal - ultimately, it's US that are going to pay.

They have a warehouse here from my understanding.

Moderator cut: see comment

I don't order from Amazon so it makes no difference to me personally. I would rather support local businesses as much I can. I already miss a lot of brick and mortar stores that are gone now.

[Merovee]

Most of the smaller brick and mortar stores now gone were killed by the big box brick and mortar stores. Not sure if that is what you meant but regardless it is the point I am making now.

Alliance for Main Street Fairness is the main organization lobbying for this. Wal-Mart & friends are the Alliance for Main Street Fairness. This is just a win for big boxes.

[egeorge]

From what I read they will collect state and local taxes, so 8.125% for us just like any other store. Although I will certainly miss the price break, this is inevitable for all internet business as state and local govenments struggle more each year with less tax revenue as more shoppers go online.

[dba07]

This is garbage, we pay enough in taxes as it is. Unfortunately, I sprung for Amazon Prime recently

[doss1]

I'll take this over the state income tax. Guys, honestly, we should be paying taxes for online orders.

[reverse]

I have no problem with businesses that have a presence in a particular state to pay/collect sales tax. I'm not sure how Amazon has been able to get around it in soo many states thus far, but it does suck for us.

If Amazon hadn't had a presence in TX a few years ago, this would'nt have happened. Susan Combs was looking for retribution for "owed" taxes when Amazon was here and it seems Amazon wasn't going to get around it, so they made a deal which forgave the past in light of adding jobs and investing 200 million.

[hillcountrywinefan]

Originally Posted by MattTx

I would take this decision over state income tax any day.

Amen!!!

[CptnRn]

When I buy a book via the internet from Barnes and Noble, I have to pay Texas sales tax.

When I buy a book via the internet from Amazon, I do not have to pay Texas sales tax.

I don't see any good reason for Amazon to have such an unfair advantage. Barnes and Noble is having to close many of its stores because of this advantage. Barnes and Noble does more for the local economy by hiring people, paying rent and property taxes. It is only reasonable that the tax laws should give them equal footing with Amazon.

There was an article in the paper this morning about how Apple sidesteps billions of dollars in corporate taxes using legal loopholes. These companies should be paying their fair share of taxes, otherwise their burden ends up falling on the rest of the citizens who do pay taxes. The last I heard Apple is sitting on $100 billion in profits, they can certainly afford to pay their taxes.

Apple legally sidesteps billions in taxes (http://www.statesman.com/business/apple-legally-sidesteps-billions-in-taxes-2330911.html - broken link)

Apple's headquarters are in Cupertino, Calif. By putting an office to collect and invest the company's profits out of Reno, just 200 miles away, Apple sidesteps state income taxes on some of those gains.
California's corporate tax rate is 8.84 percent. Nevada's? Zero.
Setting up an office in Reno is just one of many legal methods Apple uses to reduce its worldwide tax bill by billions of dollars each year.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

When I buy a book via the internet from Amazon, I do not have to pay Texas sales tax.

Actually, you are supposed to. This is the point many posters here miss. If a seller does not collect sales tax on any purchase delivered in the state of Texas, you are legally obligated to pay the tax directly to the state yourself.

It is the fact that almost everyone ignores this requirement which led the state to file legal action.

In other states, notably New York and California, the states have successfully sued residents for sales tax "avoided" by shipping in purchases from other states.