Amazon.com fires Colorado marketers over new tax laws..

[likesmountains 52]

http://www.durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/03/09/Amazon_fires_Colorado_marketers/

Be sure to read to various comments re: socialism, losing our freedoms etc. I have mixed feelings about this because I live in a smallish town with a great, locally owned bookstore that can't compete with Amazon's prices and I hope this helps them. Seems like Amazon is being a bully.

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

1. Amazon...A big Bully??

Say it isn't so!

They are being true capitalists, using any advantage to wring out every cent of profit they can....

Which is their right...as it my right to continue avoiding Amazon, and any of their partners for a long list of reasons.

[earthside]

2. Sales taxes are regressive ...

... and the repeal of the sales tax exemption for online, out-of-state merchants is a perfect example of why Democrats lose.

The majority Democrats in the Colorado legislature and the Democratic governor decided on a pathway that raises taxes on the most vulnerable, the most economically stressed: the working class and those on fixed incomes -- then they wonder why they get voted out for raising taxes. The sales tax is the most regressive kind of tax, on a percentage of income basis, it socks it to struggling working folks most.

What a progressive legislature and a progressive governor would have done -- if they had courage -- was abolish the sales tax in Colorado and replace it with a progressive state income tax instead of our current flat tax. Yup, Pete Coors and John Elway pay exactly the same state income tax rate as I do or the checker at Safeway or the burger-flipper at MacDdonald's.

I don't blame Amazon for their decision, they did what was best for them and, ultimately, what is best for their customers in Colorado. Unfortunately, this kind of boneheaded move by the legislature and governor is just the kind of thing that will bring the Repuglicans back into power in this state.

[alc]

3. internet taxes need to be at the national, not state level.

or at least have national amounts/rules and payment location. Amazon can afford the tax table updates, lawyers, accountants, etc for every state, and developers to implement and test the tax rules. I on the other hand cannot. I can charge people in my state the tax rate that I know about fairly easily but beyond that it gets ugly fast. Amazon fighting these taxes helps me.

I could get the tax rates for every state today and find out where to send the taxes, and keep up with them, and hope my site works right with all zip codes (and get accountants & lawyers to defend me in the audits potentially in all 50 states when something fails or I use out of date tax rates).

And once states start having success, how long before cities start taxing internet sales? I currently pay a big sales tax difference going 1 mile left out of my house vs one mile right. But they only have to deal with where they are located, not where I came from.

[deacon]

4. Amazon works with affiliates so they both can make money. More goods sold means more jobs.

It's a really BAAAAAAAAD time to mess with these tax laws now.

[slampoet]

5. I once lived three blocks from Amazon.com. Fuckers still charged for Shipping.