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Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Mon Dec 2, 2013, 12:19 PM Dec 2013

Amazon Rejected by U.S. High Court on New York Sales Tax

Source: Bloomberg

By Greg Stohr - Dec 2, 2013

The U.S. Supreme Court stayed out of the multibillion-dollar fight over Internet sales taxes, leaving intact a New York law that forces Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) to collect money from customers in that state.

The justices today rejected appeals by Amazon and another Internet retailer, Overstock.com Inc. (OSTK), which said New York is violating the Constitution by demanding tax collection from companies that don’t have facilities in the state. New York’s top court upheld the state law.

States lose an estimated $23 billion a year in uncollected sales taxes from web retailers. Although Amazon has agreed to collect taxes in some states as it sets up distribution centers around the country, it has resisted efforts by others to impose sales taxes unilaterally. New York’s measure is among a handful that have been dubbed “Amazon laws” because they affect only the largest online sellers.

The New York law “subjects Internet retailers to significant burdens on pain of serious civil and criminal penalties,” Seattle-based Amazon argued in its appeal. The world’s biggest online retailer now collects taxes in 16 states.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-02/amazon-rejected-by-u-s-high-court-on-new-york-sales-tax.html

8 replies

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Amazon Rejected by U.S. High Court on New York Sales Tax (Original Post) Purveyor Dec 2013 OP

Good. Amazon is the new Walmart. Make them pay for the privilege. nt onehandle Dec 2013 #1

Amazon won't pay, citizens will. last1standing Dec 2013 #2

It will slow the 90%+ MONOPOLY that Amazon has on Internet sales. onehandle Dec 2013 #4

Great way to take 1 + 1 and get 47. last1standing Dec 2013 #5

With the exception that donco Dec 2013 #3

All the other states that have enacted their laws were waiting for this ruling Hestia Dec 2013 #6

We've been paying all along... bobclark86 Dec 2013 #7

Good news, online sales should be taxed just as brick and mortar sales groundloop Dec 2013 #8

onehandle

(51,122 posts)

1. Good. Amazon is the new Walmart. Make them pay for the privilege. nt

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 01:03 PM

Dec 2013

last1standing

(11,709 posts)

2. Amazon won't pay, citizens will.

Reply to onehandle (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 01:18 PM

Dec 2013

And a sales tax is about the most regressive form of taxation there is. We should be working to replace the sales tax with income tax in more situations, not trying to punish businesses in a manner that hurts the poor disproportionately.

onehandle

(51,122 posts)

4. It will slow the 90%+ MONOPOLY that Amazon has on Internet sales.

Reply to last1standing (Reply #2)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 01:32 PM

Dec 2013

Amazon is creating massive China-like slave complexes from coast to coast and completing the destruction of small businesses that Walmart started.

Your logic suggests that Walmart is good for America.

Amazon's Dirty Secret: A Sweat Shops in Pennsylvania
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-dirty-secret-a-sweat-shop-in-pennsylvania

last1standing

(11,709 posts)

5. Great way to take 1 + 1 and get 47.

Reply to onehandle (Reply #4)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 03:41 PM

Dec 2013

I never suggested that "Walmart is good for America" and the fact that you find it necessary to turn to hyperbole and wild accusations shows that you don't have a real argument for pushing a regressive tax on the poorest citizens.

If you want to stop Amazon from creating a monopoly, use, or create, laws that restrict monopolies, don't fuck over the poor.

donco

(1,548 posts)

3. With the exception that

Reply to onehandle (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 01:32 PM

Dec 2013

amazon 30 percent more than traditional retail jobs and has benefits to boot.

Hestia

(3,818 posts)

6. All the other states that have enacted their laws were waiting for this ruling

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 03:51 PM

Dec 2013

Well folks, we had a fun ride on no sales taxes on internet buying. It was fun while it lasted. Smoke 'em while you got them because doesn't this go in effect in January? I only have a few more gifts to buy and then will have to look at the budget on any future purchases.

bobclark86

(1,415 posts)

7. We've been paying all along...

Reply to Hestia (Reply #6)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 05:31 PM

Dec 2013

Plenty of my online purchases send sales tax dollars to Albany.

Wonder if the counties see their share broken up properly (BTW, most of the counties in NY levy extra sales taxes. The minimum is 7 percent for everyone, but most counties are at 8 percent or higher. I moved a county over for a shorter commute to work and to avoid an extra percentage point going to the county)? If so, I think I'll start having stuff mailed to my mother's house in a cheaper county (coincidentally, I like that county better).

groundloop

(11,519 posts)

8. Good news, online sales should be taxed just as brick and mortar sales

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Mon Dec 2, 2013, 08:37 PM

Dec 2013

I'm not arguing that a sales tax is or isn't regressive, but rather that as of right now states depend on that income to fund infrastructure, employee salaries, schools, etc. etc. and that over the years sales tax collection has taken a hit because of online retailers taking advantage of the loophole in the laws. I'd be all in favor of changing state tax laws to rely more heavily on income taxes, but as of right now that's not the case so this is needed.

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