Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Amazon Prevails In State Sales Tax Dispute, Thus Far

Posted by timothy on from the so-about-your-anarchist-cookbook dept.

snsh writes "A US judge has ruled for Amazon.com (PDF) against North Carolina's request to turn over the names of its customers to state tax officials. The ruling was focused on privacy grounds, so the state can still re-request less detailed sales data which does not identify items purchased." Reader arbitraryaardvark adds a link to The Volokh Conspiracy's take on the decision.

4 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Good for us Sellers by commodore64_love · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The outcome of this case affects not just Amazon, but also its sellers.

    "No taxation without representation" is the principle. Why should I be subject to taxation by a foreign government (Carolina) when I have no voice in their legislature? It makes as little sense as saying a Frenchman should have to pay income tax to the Polish government. My allegiance is to MD and US..... any other governments have zero authority over me.

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    1. Re:Good for us Sellers by Zironic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sure they don't have any authority over you (unless your government says they do and extradites your ass) but they do have authority over anything you do in their territory, like transferring goods.

    2. Re:Good for us Sellers by cowboy76Spain · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The outcome of this case affects not just Amazon, but also its sellers.

      "No taxation without representation" is the principle. Why should I be subject to taxation by a foreign government (Carolina) when I have no voice in their legislature? It makes as little sense as saying a Frenchman should have to pay income tax to the Polish government. My allegiance is to MD and US..... any other governments have zero authority over me.

      Nonsense.

      The taxes are paid by the customers, not by the sellers. As the customers reside (and purchase) in the state, they must pay.

      Notice also that TFS does not say anything like that... it just says that the state has no right to know if someone bought "Alice in Wonderland" or "How to make home bombs" or "Meth cooking for dummies". I think it is a good point to defend, but the issue of taxation itself has not been reviewed, as it is emphasized in the summary.

      Also, I'd like to play a little with your "No taxation without representation". Are you suggesting that when a convinted felon loses his/her right to vote, s/he also loses his/her duty to pay taxes? Maybe crime pays, after all.

      So... any comments other than "I do not like to pay taxes"?

      --
      Why can't /. have a rich-text editor? Editing your own HTML is so XXth century.
    3. Re:Good for us Sellers by redhog · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why should convicted felons lose the right to vote? What really is the point? Once the sentence is served, the convict should be considered a free man again, with the same rights and responsibilities. If that is deemed inappropriate, he should still be in prison. Why have second class citizenship?

      --
      --The knowledge that you are an idiot, is what distinguishes you from one.