Digitivity » Digital Policy

Internet Sales Tax Coming? Amazon Favors It

Digitivity — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:28:46 +0000

Amazon has been in the news over the years opposing efforts by states like California and Texas to get Amazon to collect state taxes on purchases by buyers in those states. At one point, Amazon dropped affiliates living in California in order to avoid nexus in the state which might have forced it to collect those taxes.

Now comes news that 4 members of Congress have introduced a bill, the so-called Marketplace Fairness Act, which would allow, but not force, states to collect taxes on Internet sales.

Surprisingly, Amazon has come out in favor of the bill, providing that taxes are collected in a uniform manner. So why the change of heart? Is Amazon now large enough that the additional imposition of taxes won’t matter to its juggernaut status? Or does it see Internet sales taxes as being inevitable, and it’s just trying to favor the best and easiest approach for its e-commerce process?

Are you in favor of an Internet sales tax?

Obama Proposes $44 Billion Universal Broadband Plan

Digitivity — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 13:01:30 +0000

President-elect Obama has called for spending $44 billion on broadband, according to the story being discussed on Slashdot:

Slashdot | Universal Broadband Plan Calls For $44 Billion

I think it’s about time that the U.S. got its broadband act together. Everytime broadband is discussed, someone brings up the excuse that that U.S. can’t have as good Internet service as other countries for the reason that it’s more geographically dispersed. The problem is no one can explain why the most important city on Earth, New York City, doesn’t have broadband at the level of rural Scandinavians.

The second interesting part about this plan is the “universal” aspect. As we become a more and more digitized society, it makes sense that Internet access be provided to everybody the same way that phone service is. Granted, you don’t need a phone to live, but you do need one to live well. So too for Internet service.