Fair is Fair: For the sake of our communities, it's time to tax e-commerce

[marmar]

from OnTheCommons.org:



Fair is Fair
For the sake of our communities, it's time to tax e-commerce

By Jay Walljasper


In a recent blog I discussed how shoppers migrating to the Internet could mean curtains for many strip malls, big boxes and malls, but opportunities for downtowns and other traditional business districts that function as commons, not as monolithic retail destinations.

Now I want to raise the simple question of justice involved with this trend. Internet businesses are generally free from sales taxes, while brick-and-mortar stores must tack on 4-5-6-7-8 percent to each order—including many shops that enliven our neighborhoods while meeting our needs.

Any way you look at it, this is patently unfair—a government-sanctioned bribe to buy from Amazon instead of your local book dealer, e-Bay rather than that cool vintage store around the corner.

In tough times like these, a lot of independent businesses are already balanced precariously on the edge of insolvency, and a few more cents added to every dollar in sales might push them right over. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://onthecommons.org/fair-fair

[aquart]

1. OR we could tax the rich instead of another regressive tax.

[cbrer]

2. On the surface

This argument makes a good case. However, if we can't first address more prevalent tax inequities, it may mean that many citizens can join the downward trend of small business. And besides that, I'm not at all convinced that those additional taxes would be directed towards easing the burden on local businesses. And that makes the case for not giving the current batch of politicians in DC any more money for anything.

Let's spend smarter. Not more.

[xchrom]

3. du rec. nt

[KT2000]

4. Agree

Some are being taxed and others are not apparently. As a Washington state resident, I am taxed on transactions with businesses headquartered in the state. Since most that I do business with are now owned by Amazon - I pay sales tax most of the time. Our state government is funded by sales tax.

[meow2u3]

5. There is a constitutional problem with this

Namely Article I, Section 9. No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlei#section9