Business & Tech
Internet Sales Tax A Win, Say Niles and Morton Grove Chambers
The U.S. Senate has approved an Internet Sales Tax bill. If the House follows through, that would help Niles' and Morton Grove's brick and mortar stores, says the Chamber of Commerce presidents in both towns.
The U.S. Senate has passed, 69-27, the Internet Sales Tax bill, which would require online businesses to collect the sames sales taxes as their brick-and-mortar counterparts, according to congress.org.
The bill now moves to the Republican-controlled U.S. House, where it would need to pass in order to become law, according to cnn.com.
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Niles Chamber of Commerce President Barb Kruser said the bill's passage would be a boon for Niles' many stores and businesses. Niles, with its two WalMarts, two Targets, three Jewel-Oscos, two Home Depots and Golf Mill Shopping Center, typically ranks in the top 10 Illinois municipalities with the highest gross retail sales.
Rich Block, president of the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce, said he definitely would support it.
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"It's difficult today to be in business and not play on a level playing field," he said. "Internet sales tax would do that."
Block also pointed out that states, such as Illinois, are having financial challenges because they have lost a lot of money in sales tax revenues over the years to online merchants.
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If an internet sales tax becomes law, consumers who choose to buy online from some websites that are currently sales-tax-free would no longer have that incentive.
In fact, it might be cheaper to buy from Niles-area stores because consumers would have to pay the same sales tax, but no shipping charges.
"Our motto has been to shop local," Kruser said. "If (this bill) does happen, it would drive people to buy local rather than online. I could definitely see it as an advantage to our Chamber members."
Sen. Richard Durbin voted yes on the bill, while Sen. Mark Kirk voted no, according to congress.org. It would exempt businesses with less than $1 million in gross annual receipts. States would be required to provide free tax-calculation software to affected businesses.
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