Comments on: Overstock, Amazon fighting new state tax

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:51:01 +0000

For all those that think this is the NY Democrats fault, Check the voting results for this bill. Just as many Republicans voted for this NY State Amazon Tax, in fact the Republican controlled NY State senate could have stopped this very easily, but they passed it also just like the democratic controlled assembly (Joe Bruno should be ashamed of himself for allowing this to happen on his watch). Republicans used to be good for stopping taxes, Republicans used to be good for Upstate NY but that is no longer the case, it seems anymore Republicans are only are out to protect the very rich and anyone else they will up taxes on in a second (it is not like tax from Amazon orders is going to affect multi millionaires, that is why Republicans supported this tax because it does not affect the very rich). This is not a democratic problem, this is a NY State politician problem. I suggest checking your local State Assembly Representative and State Senators voting record and vote against them if they supported this NY Amazon tax. After all they get nothing done anyway, they just delay stuff for 6 months and then go on vacation for 6 months it seems.

From the sounds of things Amazon is losing much NY state orders, unless they get new NY state customers that don’t care about tax they are going to go downhill in this state.

When will this end, does NY state plan on collecting tax from me if I go buy something is Vermont or Massachusetts (I’m sure they will find a way soon)? Sounds very unfair that they do not force Vermont and Massachusetts to charge NY State sales tax to visitors (I thought the entire reason of this law was because almost no one was reporting or paying tax on items they purchased out of state), but they make Amazon charge tax for items purchased out of state. Sounds like Amazon has a very good case that this tax in unfair since it directly targets them, NY State Lawmakers even nicknamed this the “Amazon Tax”, how dumb can NY State Politicians get, it is like they were asking for the lawsuit from Amazon.

By: NY state’s ‘Amazon Tax’ may be no more « LI Biz Blog

NY state’s ‘Amazon Tax’ may be no more « LI Biz Blog — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:42:56 +0000

[...] The tax, which would bring in upwards of $50 million in revenue for the state, had been widely criticized in online circles, and companies such as Amazon.com and Overstock.com have filed lawsuits fighting against it since it was proposed. [...]

By: Blogmania

Blogmania — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:47:54 +0000

No, this is bad bad bad for NY. It just angers customers and causes NY affiliates to lose money. NY won’t even increase tax revenues much since most shoppers will just find new website to purchase from and NY will spend so much fighting these lawsuits, it will use up any $$ they make.

BUT THERE HAVE BEEN RECENT DEVELOPMENTS! NY STATE MAY REPEAL THIS TAX.

Read the details at Seeking Alpha here:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/86766-amazon-overstock-gamble-may-pay-off

By: R.T.

R.T. — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:12:04 +0000

Sorry Dave but the argument that Democrats love to tax alone doesn’t wash. The NYS Senate is run by the Joe Bruno & the Republicans, the Assembly by Sheldon Silver & the Democrats. It had to pass both houses to get to the Governor’s desk.
Bottom-line, they all suck.

The question now is, will the state still expect you to pay that “Use Tax” next year?

By: Tolana

Tolana — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:56:04 +0000

Doesn’t this mean that it is also unconstitutional for states to collect tax from citizens who make online purchases online from out-of-state companies? (Virginia is one example.)

By: gene wolff

gene wolff — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:37:02 +0000

I am for the marijauna weed party in BC. Go canucks

By: dave reed

dave reed — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:24:57 +0000

Well, people want democrats in office they get what they deserve. Dems love to tax tax and tax thats why i never vote for them. Its not that I dont like some of their policies its just that this one particular policy often hurts most the very people they claim to represent making them total hypocrites.

I for one won’t order online any longer and believe me, I order a ton from amazon. I already cancelled a 58″ TV for over $4,000 I had planned to buy—-might as well now buy it local.

You knew it was coming. Its like the mafia who sees a successful store open up in their area—-the go after it for “protection money”. Govt is no different. The web has run extremely well without govt intervention, so of course they had to go after it.

By: chezgianni

chezgianni — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:34:15 +0000

It’s more of the same. NYS is desperate for revenues to feed its ever more rabid Public Sector. Another example is the highest in the nation Workmen’s Compensation burden on the small or large companies yet all payouts go to the public pencil pushers, the insurance companies and the ever present wc lawyers who reside in the same building as the hearings. Been to a couple of cases (not mine just to help but I wasn’t allowed to speak) the Workers got zippo but the judges went out of their way to garantee payments to the lawyers who were forced (eveready right next door) on the Workers seeking compensation for injuries at their work! NYS government and/or the taxing departments are the largest Criminal Organization in the US. And if you want to hear more orror stories check out the sales tax division, they are absolute morons intentionally positioned to tire the Taxpayer into submittion. I represented a Large Process Manufacturing Company very complex in the Use side of the Sales and “Use” Tax, to audit they send two high school drop outs who did not know the difference between a window glass vs a production photographic glass even wen I tried to explain that a window glass was only $ 20 while the high quality clear, hard, specialty photographic glass was $ 2,400, they just couldn’t grasp it but I believe it was intentional by their management…..just to wear us out!!!!!!

p.s. Capitalizations are intentional, if I do not respect who I am writing about they get a lower case.

By: Prof. Jonathan Ezor, Touro Law Center

Prof. Jonathan Ezor, Touro Law Center — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:55:53 +0000

As I predicted in my Newsday op ed piece a few weeks ago, New York’s small online businesses and organizations are beginning to lose their revenue from affiliate referral sales, starting with those who were Overstock affiliates. With this law, New York shoots itself in the foot, chasing away both sales tax and business tax revenues and making the state look even less friendly for business. Albany should undo this law before it goes into full effect on 6/1. {Jonathan}

By: Teddy

Teddy — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:00:07 +0000

It shouldn’t be New York State’s business where I do my shopping. If I choose to buy from out-of-state, that’s my concern. This is as bad when tax collectors cruised New Jersey shopping centers, taking down NYS license plates and mailing people notices that they might have been shoping in New Jersey and therefore should pay tax on their purchases.