Sen. Joe Stegner
The Idaho Senate has voted unanimously to join a nationwide push aimed at eventually collecting sales taxes on Internet or catalog sales, a measure that’s been dumped three years running by anti-tax hawks in the House.
The bill aims for Idaho to join 23 other states now involved in the Streamlined Sales Tax Project whose members are pushing to simplify their state tax laws to make it easier to tax Internet sales.
Sen. Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston, says traditional brick-and-mortar businesses that form the backbone of Idaho communities are suffering because people shop online – all without reporting the taxes due Idaho.
Backers maintain Idaho is now losing $80 million in tax revenue annually.
Still, House Revenue and Taxation Committee members who will now take up the bill have raised concerns Idaho would be sacrificing sovereignty by cooperating. (AP)
