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State Coalition Approves Internet Sales Tax Plan

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the imminent-death-of-e-commerce-predicted dept.

An anonymous reader submits this story about the U.S. states banding together to figure out a way to tax mail-order transactions.

3 of 438 comments (clear)

  1. In Soviet Russia... by p_rotator · · Score: 0, Troll

    ...The internet taxes YOU!

  2. An opportunity for free software? by yerricde · · Score: 2, Troll

    Under the states' plan, online sellers would be required to purchase approved software to compute the appropriate state and local taxes or to certify with the state any in-house calculation systems already in place. E-tailers could choose to outsource tax collection to a certified third-party under the states' plan.

    So far, participating states have conducted only one tax software pilot, involving four states, three technology vendors, and one online seller. Of the technology vendors participating in the pilot, just one -- Salem, Mass.-based Taxware, working in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard -- managed to get a system up and running.

    I hope that the states don't go with a "trusted client" model that requires a specific piece of proprietary software in the point-of-sale system, and possibly a monopoly publisher. Write your state legislatures and ask them to consider the use of free software in this interstate catalog/internet sales tax measure should it pass.

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  3. Re:not all bad news by Frank+of+Earth · · Score: 1, Troll

    Go back to playing GTA and leave the big words for the grown ups.

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