Womack joins online sales-tax call
By The Associated Press
This article was originally published November 30, 2012 at 7:23 a.m. Updated November 30, 2012 at 9:06 a.m.
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LITTLE ROCK — GOP U.S. Rep. Steve Womack is backing a law that would allow states to levy sales tax on online and catalog purchases.
A Wednesday event is planned in Washington to rally support for the so-called Marketplace Fairness Act, which is backed by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Womack is scheduled to speak along with Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Rep. Jackie Speier of California and Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont.
All five are sponsors of the bill, which would allow states to require online and catalog retailers to collect and pay sales taxes.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says states are expected to lose more than $23 billion in taxes this year on Internet and catalog sales as opposed to taxes collected by “brick-and-mortar” businesses.
Comments on: Womack joins online sales-tax call
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1soni says... November 30, 2012 at 8:26 a.m.
I thought we wanted to do away with taxes?
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NoUserName says... November 30, 2012 at 8:41 a.m.
And...the result will be online stores go out of business. Congrats. Besides, the laws already exist for people to report the so-called 'use' taxes.
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Jackabbott says... November 30, 2012 at 8:41 a.m.
This should have been done years ago. At least the brick and mortar retailers contribute to the local and state economies. It is totally unfair for the on-line operators to be given a tax break for nothing. After all they are all selling Chinese goods.
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rickc says... November 30, 2012 at 9:27 a.m.
They ALL are, are they. What other sweeping generalizations would you like to enlighten us with today?
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DEMOCRATREPUBLICAN says... November 30, 2012 at 9:29 a.m.
A republican that wants to raise taxes? I guess he got a check from some business interest that makes him want to increase taxes on people. No limit to the governments greed.
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BillSmith says... November 30, 2012 at 10:11 a.m.
I buy a lot of items online, we should have a national sales tax on online purchases as well as pay state sales tax, raise the tax rate from 35% to 39.4% on those making over $250,000, cut defense spending, due away with government subsidies to big business, cut out the tax loopholes that the wealthy take advantage of, corporate jets tec. Get out of Afganastain, cut military bases and spending overseas and mind our own damn business. And yes we should make cuts in medicare where they can be made, such as $500 diabetic shoes made in China and $600 pair of glasses. Quit borrowing from the SS fund, raise the cap for SS on wages to $175,000 a year. We could get out of debt pretty quick with the increased revenue.
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NoUserName says... November 30, 2012 at 10:25 a.m.
Why stop there? Might as well also cut the mortgage interest deduction, child tax care credit, earned income credit, stop indexing the AMT, etc. Sure, with enough revenue, we'll be golden. Oh, and Bill, I hope you report ALL online sales tax on your AR return as is required BY LAW. If not, you're just a tax cheat and taking advantage of a 'loophole' yourself.
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NONSHEEPLE says... November 30, 2012 at 11:13 a.m.
SPENDING is the problem... We do NOT need more taxes PERIOD !! If you honestly think higher taxes are the answer to this nations debt then YOU need to go back to elementary school and learn simple math. SPENDING is out of control and until that is stopped our debt will never be help no matter how tight you squeeze the citizens...
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TomN says... November 30, 2012 at 11:56 a.m.
Yep! Those special interest dollars at work! Womack on the payroll! Got to destroy the ability of mom and pop shops and others to compete with and deny market share with the big box office lobby!
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HOTDEMN says... November 30, 2012 at 12:06 p.m.
Right on TomN. Not to mention the absolute nightmare of trying to regulate and enforce such laws. This idea of trying to tax the internet has been bandied about since the Net began. the real issue here is an attempt by another group of people to gain more power and money. Is anybody suprised that these grabs are coming from Republicans ? They talk "balanced budget" but the records of the last 100 years lay the lie to that ploy.
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Hogark says... November 30, 2012 at 12:31 p.m.
IF GOVERNMENT WOULD GET OUT OF THE SPENDING BUSINESS THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO BE IN THE TAXING BUSINESS. LET CHURCHS AND FAMILY TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN.
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Hogdude says... November 30, 2012 at 12:35 p.m.
Bad move, Mr Womack. It's one of the last "free" things Americans enjoy, and you want to spoil it. You for more taxes now? Maybe a Democrat will run against you in two years.
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SPA says... November 30, 2012 at 2:21 p.m.
I absolutely oppose this. In an age where the big-boy "job creators" can trot their butts overseas and take jobs with them, allowing the little person to purchase things on-line without taxation is only fair. So much for the Republicans wanting less taxes! Once again, they prove that they want it only for the very wealthy, and care not one whit for the little person.
BTW, the brick and mortar stores most indeedy DO sell Chinese goods. Any claim to the contrary is a falsehood, easily discredited by a quick trip to any store on the block.
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DEMOCRATREPUBLICAN says... November 30, 2012 at 2:36 p.m.
Womack is in Walmarts pocket. Walmart wants these online purchases taxed because they have stores in every state and therefore have to collect taxes from online sales unlike small mom and pop online stores. I shop at walmart, but I feel guilty everytime I do. Made in China, poor worker pay and minimal benefits, influencing laws by bribing (donating to relection campaigns), demanding lower prices from suppliers inducing them to move jobs offshore, and the list goes on.
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XAV8OR says... November 30, 2012 at 2:50 p.m.
Every time something like this appears in the news someone will bad mouth Wal Mart for selling goods made in other countries. I'm not a big fan of Wal Mart but when someone says this about the company I guess they have never read the labels on items in Dillard's, Sears, JCP or any store in town.
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BillSmith says... November 30, 2012 at 3:28 p.m.
NoUserName...... Let me explain something that may be over your head, but here go's.
I said I buy, make purchases, not sell. You only have to collect and then remit sales tax when you sell products. Understand, comprehenda?
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Packman says... November 30, 2012 at 3:48 p.m.
Hey BillSmith - Why not $200,000 instead of $250,000? A sincere and logical answer would be appreciated. And has it ever crossed your mind the federal government could get out of debt just as easily by cutting the GROWTH in federal spending without actually cutting a dime? I know, I know, that thought has never crossed your liberal mind.
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Jackabbott says... November 30, 2012 at 4:45 p.m.
Agree with most of what BillSmith has to say. These purveyors of Chinese goods are digging a hole for us. Want to improve your country+ Buy products made in USA, if the jerk merchants do not stock them, then use your head and ask for them Quit funneling money to the Commies.
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NoUserName says... November 30, 2012 at 5:20 p.m.
Wow. Hey Bill, go look up 'USE TAX.' Then come back and tell me you don't have to remit sales tax for online purchases as a buyer. So, based on what you said, you don't remit sales tax as a buyer. Then yes, I am correct and you are a tax cheat. Nice. Next time you want to try and belittle someone with an 'over the head' comment, perhaps you should have at least a small clue about what you're talking about. You clearly don't. I'll await your mea culpa after you look up 'use tax.'
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NoUserName says... November 30, 2012 at 5:22 p.m.
By the way, I would hope you aren't using your, um, real name and posting for all the world to see that you buy online and don't pay your use tax. Someone might just come knocking on your door.
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mkm157 says... November 30, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
Obviously none of you bozo's has any clue how this impacts the Mom and Pop operations. I say way to go Womack! Tell the Koch suckers to stick it.
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DontDrinkDatKoolAid says... November 30, 2012 at 7 p.m.
BillSmith ... In your liberal rant, you left out reducing the federal bureaucracy by 65 percent.
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cwbird says... November 30, 2012 at 9:28 p.m.
Has anyone thought that the real culprits are the politicians, the ones who always benefit from tax increases by having more money to redistribute. Yes we need to decrease taxes, but more than that we need to eliminate all social programs, which are not even Constitutional on the federal level.
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mkm157 says... December 1, 2012 at 8:42 a.m.
This is a LOCAL tax not a federal tax so it isn't going to medicare or any other federal program
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Bart says... December 1, 2012 at 10:40 a.m.
Wal-Mart has called for imposing sales tax on interstate internet sales. Naturally! they have stores in every neighborhood and have to collect sales tax. No surprise that Womack is in favor, too! These brick/mortar stores require a lot of services that are not used by internet retailers. Police, Fire, sanitation, etc. At our local store police are present frequently. Wal-Mart calls, city and County rolls! Internet sales help to keep the local merchants honest about prices. We can shop everywhere for best price, often with free shipping and avoid the outrageous sales tax which amounts to 10,5% in Phillips County! A small break for a very poor area. Womack is a Republican? Cound have fooled me.
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Bart says... December 1, 2012 at 10:42 a.m.
What difference does it make if the tax is local. It is money out on my pocket for politicians to spend.
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inquire says... December 1, 2012 at 11:41 a.m.
Bill Smith, I agree with all you said. We have said a lot of the same things for years. I believe you are wrong about the $600 medicare glasses. My husband recently got on medicare and they pay 80% of allowable for an annual eye exam. You're on your own for the glasses. My husband has pretty specific requirements and his were $360, but that included frames, as all his old frames were made to accommodate safety lenses.
I have seen diabetic shoes at my local drugstore for about $200 a pair. I didn't look to see where they were made.
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kinggeorge says... December 1, 2012 at 2:27 p.m.
A Republican tax increase?
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cdawg says... December 1, 2012 at 2:39 p.m.
None of this is a tax increase. It's FEDERALISM. Womack seeks to pave the way for Walmart's ENTRY into online sales. Web sales are dollar to dollar, penny to penny competitive.
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What he seeks is a uniform way to collect sales taxes that already exist.
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You actually owe state and local sales taxes on all out of state, online sales. You're supposed to self report.
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Walmart wants to enter the online sales market in a bigger way. They already have a presence, they just want a level playing field.
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This bill will not effect small mom/pop operations since anyone doing less than $500K would be exempt.
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NoCrossNoCrown says... December 1, 2012 at 3:29 p.m.
Humorous to see these folks who say they want to do away with all taxes, but never stop to really think about what that would do to this country. Are taxes too high? Yes, but the greed of the people is what is driving up the spending. Do you remember the company who was charging the government $600 for a hammer, when the cost of the hammer was around $20? He was STEALING from the American people. We have a big country and we have a big government, but if you are taking advantage of the system, you are STEALING. The same goes for the aircraft part companies who ripped off the system. But sisnce they are business/corporations, we don't hold them to the same standard as the guy who takes the job of remodling your house and gets paid, but never does the work....
Thief he is....
The cost of living, doing business and everything else continues to rise and the need arises to generate more revenue tax dollars. If your household is having trouble making ends meet and after you cut as much from your expenses as you can, there is only one thing you can do and that is to bring in more revenue... Somebody in the family goes out and gets a part-time job or takes on odd jobs cutting grass, raking leaves, babysitting...etc
We can not cut our way out of this without taking the same measures that you would in your household and bringing in revenue. If you make $40k-$50k and pay $12k-$15k in tax, yet I make $350k a year and only pay $60k-$70k in tax, you are paying more in tax than I am. This is where the new revenue is going to have to come from and is the ONLY balanced approach to solving the debt issue... IT'S NOT SPENDING - IT'S TAX FAIRNESS
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NoCrossNoCrown says... December 1, 2012 at 3:39 p.m.
And the idiots who say privitize everything....
Just how does a private prison work..????
They take in the criminals and then the GOVERNMENT PAYS them to house them for a profit. So tax dollars are still being spent......NO SAVINGS and lots of extra cost for taxpayers to shoulder...
It's a wonder there are only as many bankrupcies as there are with the thinking, (or lack thereof) of some of the post on this ADG site........#stoopidpeoplestoopidsolutions
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Jjackk says... December 1, 2012 at 6:54 p.m.
You would think that a Republican would level the playing field by cutting the sales tax. Besides, every company is free to sell online. It is their choice.
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Jjackk says... December 1, 2012 at 6:57 p.m.
That is if you believe their campaign rhetoric. Surely they would run on no new taxes then propose a new tax two weeks after the election.
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BillSmith says... December 1, 2012 at 7:40 p.m.
Romney’s free enterprise system at work…
A CEO created this job. Would you want it?
The invisible world of domestic work: Report documents abuses
(CNN) – Anna worked seven days a week as a nanny for the family of a Fortune 500 company executive. She lived with them in their 5th Avenue apartment in Midtown Manhattan. Her day began at 6 when the children woke up and didn't end until 10 at night when she put them to bed and cleaned the kitchen.
She cooked meals, did laundry and tended to the children's needs. She slept on the floor in between their beds. She did not have a single day off in 15 months.
She was hired because of the child development skills she learned as a teacher in her native Philippines. Yet she earned just $1.27 an hour.
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NoUserName says... December 1, 2012 at 9:27 p.m.
FWIW, the actual cited report simply says "family of four in midtown Manhattan" and nothing about an executive at a Fortune 500 Co.
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