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Indiana retailers making push for online sales tax

Associated Press
November 29, 2011
Keywords
Federal Government, Government, Government & Economic Development, Internet, Manufacturing & Technology, Real Estate & Retail, Retail, Retailers, Sales tax, State Government, Taxes, Technology
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A new coalition of Indiana retailers is planning a lobbying push aimed at convincing state lawmakers to force online businesses to collect the state's 7-percent sales taxes from customers.

Members of Indiana Merchants for Tax Fairness say the state's policy puts traditional stores at a disadvantage to online retailers. An Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute report estimates the state misses out on about $77 million a year in uncollected taxes on Internet purchases.

Marlon Nasser is a coalition member and co-owner of PaceSetter Sports in Terre Haute. He told the Tribune-Star that he's blown away by the tax policy's unfairness.

State Senate Appropriations Chairman Luke Kenley told WISH-TV that while collecting the sales tax from online retailers wouldn't be a new tax, many people would consider it to be one.

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  • Internet Sales Tax
    JoyceNovember 29, 2011 2:38 PM
    Personally, I don't want the government tracking all my Internet purchases. The use tax was a stupid idea to begin with. If the state wants to tax Internet sales, they'll have to pass a law mandating the collection of the tax by the people who are selling the goods. But I hope they can't do it.
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  • enforce
    ChrisNovember 29, 2011 2:08 PM
    How about enforcing the use tax? No it is easier to create a new law to make other non state residents collect tax for us.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment

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