To the editor,
There has been much in the news regarding Amazon.com’s agreement to start collecting Connecticut sales and use tax. Amazon is only one of many online vendors shipping into Connecticut.
I have this comment: If the vendor is not required to collect sales tax on goods it sends into Connecticut it then becomes the purchaser’s liability to pay the use tax. This is to be done with one of these forms, OP-186, CT 1040 or CT 1040NP/PY.
In a poll taken by a regional newspaper 44 percent of those polled responded that they would stop using Amazon if they had to pay the sales tax. I presume that they and others would not pay the use tax. This is disgraceful. A society can’t be vibrant if 50 percent of the people put deceit and low risk of being caught and punished ahead of honesty, honor and pride. Also paying the tax on online purchases helps level the playing field for local retailers. These retailers pay local taxes, are good community citizens and are necessary for a thriving town.
Richard C. Wilmot
Naugatuck
“eBay Contends That Sales Tax Proposal Will Hurt Small Businesses …”
eBay disingenuousness, at its best! It’s a long time since eBay has been interested in “small business”; indeed, they are actively engaged in slaughtering small eBay businesses for the benefit of their favoured large national brand sellers that they are attempting to pander to. eBay’s only interest in this matter is in not losing the advantage that online traders have previously been enjoying over tax-paying B&M retailers. Ultimately, eBay is interested only in mechanisms that will help maximise the bonus shares that its senior executives may receive …
And the ugly reality for consumers dealing with the clunky, unscrupulous eBay/PayPal complex …
“Shill Bidding Fraud on eBay: Case Study #5” … http://bit.ly/11F2eas