Companies Say They’ll Be Hurt By Online Tax

March 4, 2011 9:44 AM

A Man Uses A Computer Mouse. (AP Photo)

Filed under

Heard on WBBM 780, Local, News, Politics

Don't Miss This

Pinball, Beer & Arcade Games: Check Out Chicago's Pinball Alley

Best Mini Golf In The Chicagoland Area

Best Burgers In Chicago: Paradise Pup

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM) – So-called “affiliate marketers” are big business in Illinois, but they say their existence is threatened by what is known as the “Amazon tax.”

As WBBM Newsradio 780’s Dave Dahl reports, the bill calls for the Web-based marketers to collect a sales tax for Illinois.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780′s Dave Dahl reports

FatWallet.com is based in the Rockton near Rockford, and allows users to publish deals and rebates on electronics and other products and services. FatWallet founder Tim Storm says he and his more than 50 jobs are ready to move to Wisconsin if need be.

“I’m not asking for anything other than a veto,” he said.

Such companies, unlike Amazon.com, have a real office in Illinois. They say having to collect a sales tax will cost them their relationships with the Amazons of the world.

Ed Longanecker, executive director of the trade group TechAmerica, has met with Gov. Pat Quinn to discuss the issue.

“Hopefully, the facts associated with how this has worked in other states, understanding that the result will be no different in Illinois, resonates,” Longanecker said.

Longanecker said the businesses that would be hurt by the bill are exactly the kind Quinn said in his budget speech last month that Illinois should be encouraging.

Companies Say Theyll Be Hurt By Online Tax

The Truth

Quinn and his stable of democratic crooks will just kill more jobs!!
KE

Not sure if seeking to collect taxes through businesses like Fat Wallet is the best idea for the economy — but sales tax MUST be collected in order to survive.

Should Amazon be forced to maintain a location in Illinois?
They could even rent a closet size office in a depressed area in Illinois for say $100/month and all they would have to do is collect the taxes
taxpayer

“sales tax MUST be collected in order to survive.”
Not true. Some tax revenue is needed, Illinois got along for over 100 years without a sales tax. New Hampshire and Oregon get along without a sales tax. The sales tax discourages jobs and lowers our standard of living
Jose

New York has no sales tax either and in fact, they get tax breaks whenever films are located in their areas. Let’s give a big hand to the Big Apple for being thoughtful in a tough state.
eric

The politicians are hot-to-trot to tax everything that moves, and everything that doesn’t move.
They want more and more loot to give to cronies and special interests, and to squander in just about anything except that which would actually benefit the taxpayers.
Enough is enough.
Time to stop frivolous and irresponsible spending by the politicians.
Read my lips: No more taxes.
Jim

Quinn is anti-jobs. This needs to be a federal law and not a state law to be effective, otherwise the states with the law lose. Well actually the working class looses, but Quinn doesn’t care about them.
Marie

IMHO all this taxing is killing jobs and company’s. I have an idea, let’s start by getting rid of giveaways and work our way back to solvency. They want the workers to give up their salaries and benefits, let the people who don’t work, have never worked, and don’t want to work give up their benefits, how about that?……….