Tag Archives: Amazon

House passes budget

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The main objective of the special session has now been accomplished. But not before one of the House’s biggest homophobes nearly derailed it on Thursday. Lengthy debate on a key budget bill featured many retreads of contentious topics from the … Continue reading →

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Bill in US Senate to make Amazon pay sales taxes

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As someone who believes that online retailers like Amazon should collect sales taxes and who believes that federal action will be needed to make that happen, I’m glad to see this. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says he plans … Continue reading →

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House defies Perry over Amazon and sales taxes

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is a pleasant surprise. Breaking with Gov. Rick Perry, the Texas House today refused to kill a provision that aims to tighten the state’s rules on when online retailers like Amazon.com must collect sales taxes. The vote could force … Continue reading →

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Perry vetos Amazon sales tax bill

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Of course he did. Gov. Rick Perry has vetoed legislation that was aimed at tightening the state’s rules on when online retailers must collect sales taxes on Texas transactions, the bill’s author said this morning. Perry had earlier criticized Comptroller … Continue reading →

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Senate passes Amazon sales tax bill

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas Senate has overwhelmingly passed a measure aimed at tightening the state’s rules on when online businesses must collect sales tax. Senators voted 30-1 [Friday] to pass House Bill 2403, a measure that originated with Rep. John Otto, … Continue reading →

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Amazon complains to the SEC about Texas trying to collect taxes on it

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Poor dears. Amazon said in a regulatory filing this week that the SEC is looking into its dispute with Texas, which began last year when the Texas comptroller’s office sent Amazon a $269 million assessment for four years of uncollected … Continue reading →

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Lege approves separate online sales tax bills

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Taking a stand against Internet retailers like Amazon.com, the Texas House moved Tuesday to tighten the state’s rules on when online businesses must collect sales tax. By voting 122-23 to pass House Bill 2403 by Rep. John … Continue reading →

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Amazon not gone yet

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. Amid its fight with the state over collecting tax on online sales, Amazon.com had said it would close its distribution center in Irving this week, resulting in the loss of 119 jobs. As of Wednesday, … Continue reading →

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House ponders what to do about Amazon

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

My guess is that they ultimately won’t do anything this session, but it’s good to see the matter discussed by the Ways and Means Committee. If nothing else, it may lay the groundwork for a future session. House Bill 1317 … Continue reading →

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Taking sides on Amazon

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege weighs in on Amazon, with opposing bills. House Bill 2719, filed [Wednesday] afternoon by state Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving, would favor Amazon’s efforts to avoid collecting tax for online sales by amending the state tax code to say … Continue reading →

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More on Combs v. Perry over Amazon

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib has a good story that explains the background of the Perry-Combs smackdown over Amazon. There’s another player in this fight, and they’re on the Comptroller’s side: Retailers who charge sales taxes employ thousands of Texans, and some of … Continue reading →

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Amazon abandons Texas

Posted on February 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

More job losses, and we haven’t even started firing teachers yet. Online retail giant Amazon.com will close its suburban Dallas distribution center amid a dispute with the state over millions in uncollected state sales taxes, The Associated Press reported Thursday. … Continue reading →

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Amazon sues Texas

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Game on. Four months after Texas officials told Amazon.com Inc. that it owes $269 million in uncollected sales taxes, the online retail giant has filed a lawsuit demanding that the comptroller’s office release the audit information it used in arriving … Continue reading →

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More on Amazon and the sales tax

Posted on November 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From Slate: Amazon has aggressively fought state efforts to impose sales tax on its operations. In 2008, New York passed a law that required online companies to collect taxes if they had deals with marketing affiliates based in the state. … Continue reading →

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Amazon was just the beginning

Posted on November 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with this. By telling retail giant Amazon.com that it owes $269 million in uncollected sales taxes, the State of Texas has waded into the national debate over taxing Internet sales. The state comptroller’s office said it has sent … Continue reading →

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Texas tells Amazon to pay up

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well, that’s one way to attack the budget deficit. Texas has sent Amazon.com Inc. a $269 million bill for uncollected sales taxes on purchases made by state residents from the Seattle-based Internet superstore over a four-year period. […] R.J. DeSilva, … Continue reading →

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Special Thursday video break: You can get anything you want

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not the name of the restaurant, it’s the name of the song: I was hoping to find a video based on the original recording, but failed. Since I always manage to forget to turn on the radio in time … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: When the going gets tough, the tough download some free tunes

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I just passed 5000 songs in my iTunes collection, though that number includes a few duplicates, a couple of misplaced podcasts, and some CD tracks, from live performances and from things like the Beatles anthology, that are spoken intros or … Continue reading →

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Seeking iTunes help again

Posted on December 29, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Last year, I asked for help buying music from the iTunes store, as I’d been given a gift card for Christmas. I scored some more gift cards this year, so I’m back asking for more help. You’ve got a decent … Continue reading →

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