The Florida Alliance for Main Street Fairness believes in standing up for businesses, consumers and taxpayers by closing the Internet Sales Tax Loophole.
We’re a coalition of business and civic leaders. Our job is to educate private citizens, small businesses and elected officials about the costs and consequences of a massive sales tax loophole that’s allowing out-of-state internet giants to prey on Florida’s Main Street merchants. Today, there is one tax system for small businesses and another for online-only retailers. The system puts brick-and-mortar businesses at a significant, competitive disadvantage since they are required to collect state sales taxes, while retailers operating on the Internet are not—even though the tax is still due.
Online-only retailers who exploit this loophole are putting their consumers at risk. Even if they don’t bother to collect sales taxes, the tax is still due! That’s right. Under the current laws, consumers—not the internet giants—are responsible for paying sales taxes on items purchased online. That’s just not fair to consumers, taxpayers or the small businesses that are under assault.
The bottom line is: a sale is a sale is a sale. Whether it’s made online or on Main Street, a sale is made, a transaction has occurred and the sales tax is owed. The same rules should apply online that apply on Main Street. It is a matter of fairness and commonsense.
Small businesses drive our economy. They are invested in our communities. They employ our neighbors. And they serve as the cornerstone of our Main Street marketplace. When out-of-state internet giants get special tax treatment, Florida’s Main Street merchants get punished for living, working and investing in Florida. If these small businesses are unable to compete on a level playing field, Florida can expect to see more job loss and long-term damage to our state’s economy and business climate.
We’re for closing the loophole, not raising taxes. Don’t raise taxes—or invent new ones—instead, close the Internet Sales Tax Loophole and help close Florida’s budget deficit.
Fixing the unfair application of the sales tax shouldn’t hurt small businesses that operate online; in fact, the Alliance for Main Street Fairness is advocating exemptions for the smallest sellers and free tax assistance for them.
Our group is supported by and advocates on behalf of employers who believe there must be a fair and balanced approach concerning the sales tax collection system. These business owners work every day to hire new workers, purchase new equipment and expand service capability. They serve as the backbone of our economy.
