National Retail Federation supports Internet sales tax

A witness testifying on behalf of National Retail Federation late last year urged a congressional committee to approve measures simplifying online collection of sales tax.

“We are here to ask you to level the playing field between sellers that collect sales tax and those who cannot be required to collect the tax because they do business in the community on a virtual rather than physical basis,” said Wayne Zakrzewski, J.C. Penny Corp.’s vice president and associate general counsel-tax.

Under a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, remote sellers are only required to collect sales tax from customers in states where they have a physical presence such as a store, office or distribution center. Zakrzewski said this puts local businesses at a disadvantage and forces state and local governments to make up for lost revenue. J.C. Penny collects sales tax on all Internet purchases.

NRF and its supporters are urging passage of H.R. 3396, the Sales Tax Fairness and Simplification Act of 2007. The bill would allow states that have implemented the voluntary Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement to require out-of-state merchants collect sales tax on merchandise sold to residents of their states.

Retailers would be compensated for the cost of sales tax collection, and collection would be outsourced to certified service providers. Retailers with less than $5 million in annual gross remote sales would be exempt.

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For more: National Retail Federation, (800) 673-4692; www.nrf.com.