Colorado joined New York and North Carolina with an ill conceived plan to collect taxes on Internet sales and has just put a bunch of their constituents out of business or seriously dented their income.
In response to recent legislation in Colorado (HB 10-1193), Amazon.com has sent a letter to its affiliates in Colorado informing them that the on-line sales giant will no longer be advertising through businesses in the state that that make money by referring buyers.
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huffingtonpost.com...]
You would think in a downturn economy that Colorado would be sensitive to the needs of the people earning off Amazon, who in turn do pay income taxes on that money.
Nope, instead of trimming government excesses and bloat they go after internet sales tax and punish the people trying to earn a living.
A similar bill almost passed in California but we all rallied in full force and let our representatives know we did not want such a thing to foul up the internet economy.
However, with 3 states down, taxing online sales could be the norm unless people express their outrage early and often as new states start eyeballing internet sales taxes as an option.
Amazon did state they would reinstate Colorado-based Associates if the state of Colorado brought the law into compliance with what the US Supreme Court said was constitutional.
I wouldn't hold my breath, but Senator Greg Brophy said he would try to fix the problem.
