How much sales tax does Minnesota lose in online buying?

Posted at 8:52 AM on November 17, 2011 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Economy, Taxes

MPR News reporter Martin Moylan has a good, deep story this morning on the efforts by some retailers and lawmakers to get online retailers to collect local sales taxes.

Moylan writes:

Lost sales tax revenue amounts to as much as $400 million a year, said state Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans, Minnesota's chief tax collector. That's about as much as the Vikings say they'll pay towards a new stadium.

Frans said Minnesota probably faces another big budget deficit and can't afford to let so much tax revenue get away.

Click on the play button to listen to the whole story.

Other good links as we explore this issue.

Amazon Sales Tax: The Battle, State by State. This story from earlier in the fall by TheStreet.com looks at Amazon's fight state by state on the sales tax collection issue.

Amazon Parts With EBay to Lobby for Streamlined Online Sales Tax. Bloomberg story from this week that Amazon has shifted its stance and is now supporting a national effort to get online retailers to collect local sales taxes.

Internet sales tax: An idea whose time is now? Backgrounder from CBSNews.com on the specifics of the proposed legislation.

Here's a press release from the three senators (two Republicans and a Democrat) who are sponsoring it..

Any other links and stories we should know about on this issue? Post them below.

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