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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Big Brother, State of Texas

Texas wants Amazon.com to pay almost $270 million in sales tax in the period 2005 to 2009. The State
wants Amazon to collect sales tax for the State.
Now Texas is a pretty conservative state, so what's the deal with forcing an independent business into doing the work of the state? Many states have a procedure for taxpayers to report uncollected sales tax on their personal tax forms. Most taxpayers don't do it. That is no justification for states to interfere in Internet Commerce.
I am now and have always been opposed to government interference in the activity of the Internet. What is interference? It is usually when the state sends its bully boys - police or treasury - after you, or threatens to send them after you, to get their way with your money.
Uncollected sales tax is a problem, but pretty soon, all government expenditures and services are going to be a problem. How are we going to handle it? I suggest that the stone-age mentality of sending threats to Amazon does not work.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Pretty soon? With over 30 states bankrupt, I'd say the problem is now.

Montag said...

Well, technically you're right. Now all we have to do is sit and weep through two more years ( at least ) while the new Boobocracy we elect next week learns the facts of life.