ONLINE SALES TAX Tomblin Wants Online Retailers To Collect WV Sales Tax For Online Purchases
Reported by: Associated Press
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Reported: Feb. 27, 2013 2:29 PM EST
Updated: Feb. 27, 2013 2:54 PM EST
Eyewitness News Photo
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin wants online retailers to start collecting West Virginia's sales tax on purchases by state residents.
Legislation introduced Wednesday follows the lead of several other states as brick-and-mortar businesses complain of an unfair tax burden.
Tomblin proposes requiring retailers located out-of-state to start applying the sales tax if they or a subsidiary has a physical presence in West Virginia.
That would appear to apply to e-commerce giant Amazon.com, which recently opened a customer service center in Huntington. A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
West Virginia has long pursued e-retail revenues through the multi-state Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. Congress has also weighed the online sales tax question, with the latest version of the proposed Marketplace Fairness Act introduced Feb. 14.
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Associated Press
