Slate's Tax Dodger
futureofcapitalism.com

The California tax authorities may want to audit Slate's technology columnist, who begins an article about Amazon.com by writing:

Amazon has long enjoyed an unbeatable price advantage over its physical rivals. When I buy a $1,000 laptop from Wal-Mart, the company is required to collect local sales tax from me, so I pay almost $1,100 at checkout. In most states, Amazon is exempt from that rule. According to a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, only firms with a physical presence in a state are required to collect taxes from residents. Technically, when I buy a $1,000 laptop from Amazon, I'm supposed to pay a $100 "use tax" when I file my annual return with my home state of California. But nobody does that.

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Slate's Tax Dodger
futureofcapitalism.com

The California tax authorities may want to audit Slate's technology columnist, who begins an article about Amazon.com by writing:

Amazon has long enjoyed an unbeatable price advantage over its physical rivals. When I buy a $1,000 laptop from Wal-Mart, the company is required to collect local sales tax from me, so I pay almost $1,100 at checkout. In most states, Amazon is exempt from that rule. According to a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, only firms with a physical presence in a state are required to collect taxes from residents. Technically, when I buy a $1,000 laptop from Amazon, I'm supposed to pay a $100 "use tax" when I file my annual return with my home state of California. But nobody does that.

Read More...