We're hearing about Colorado in the trade press this week and Amazon's "firing" of its Colorado affiliates in order to avoid collecting and paying sales tax there, but we have a similar fight going on in Illinois.

State Senator Jeff Schoenberg has introduced legislation (SB3633) that would do what several states (notably New York) have successfully done - get a ruling, or legislate, that when an Internet Business (like Amazon) has affiliates in a state that do $10,000 or more in business, that constitutes "nexus." Nexus is a legal term that means you have a presence in the state and therefore have to collect and pay sales tax, the same as bricks and mortar businesses do.

Linda Bubon of Women & Children First in Chicago has been contacting many of the senators about the legislation. Roberta Rubin of the Bookstall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka testified at a senate hearing in Springfield on Thursday, March 4, about how Amazon is bullying its affiliates so they will oppose this type of legislation. She urges booksellers to contact Sen. Schoenberg to urge him to keep working on this legislation.

 

Thank you to Linda and Roberta for their work on this. GLiBA urges you to make your voice heard as well. E-Fairness is an important issue for the health of our stores and our communities. We've made it easy for you. You can find contact information for your state officials at GLiBA's Grass Roots Café. And ABA has prepared an e-Fairness Action Kit, with sample letters and op-ed pieces for every state that has a sales tax.