Amazon has come out strongly for a federal law allowing states to require online retailers to collect sales taxes, as long as all web retailers are covered by the tax. Ten U.S. Senators have introduced the bill, including Republicans Michael Enzi (R., Wyo.) and Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.): Thanks to modern technology, “widespread collection no [...]
The Communications Workers of America is in a drawn out contract fight with Verizon and is highlighting the fact that not only is the company trying to ripoff its employees, it’s also ripping off the taxpayers. A report by Citizens for Tax Justice early this month had highlighted top corporate tax avoiders and Verizon was [...]
Did you know that YouTube is owned by a Netherlands’ corporation? No? Well the IRS doesn’t think so either, apparently, since Bloomberg News is reporting that the IRS is investigating Google for potentially illegal shifting of profits overseas to evade U.S. taxes by pretending its revenue producing assets are owned by overseas subsidiaries: Google, owner [...]
There’s been a lot of debate about redirecting the current Universal Service Fund which pays for universal telephone service to also help fund expansion of broadband Internet to help achieve universal Internet access. Most people agree this is a good idea. The only problem is that the current industry proposal, the so-called ABC Plan, accomplishes [...]
In California, Amazon cut a deal with the legislature– if they hold off collecting sales taxes for a year, Amazon agreed to stop opposing the bill — including dropping a planned referendum to overturn the bill — and would start collecting those sales taxes in September 2011. Amazon argues that it wants a national law [...]
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam wants Amazon to collect sales taxes on purchases by state residents, joining a growing chorus of Republican and southern politicians demanding equity in taxation between online and brick-and-motor stores. Forbes a few months ago noted the trend of conservative southern states turning against Amazon, despite supposed anti-tax stances by some of [...]
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), joined by Sens. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Jack Reed (D- R.I.) in the Senate and John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in the House, will introduce the Main Street Fairness Act to require online retailers to collect state and local sales taxes. “Our bill levels the playing field to give [...]
