By Northern Plains News
North and South Dakota Retailer Associations joined in a joint letter sent Tuesday to U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte calling for immediate action on the collection of online sales taxes from purchasers.
The groups say online retailers continue to have a competitive advantage over traditional retailers, as they are not forced to collect state sales taxes.
Hundreds of organizations that collectively represent more than three million American businesses and organizations co-signed the letter.
Citing more than 20 years of inaction and the Supreme Court’s recent decision affirming that this is a matter for Congress to address, the letter urges Congress “to make the 2013 holiday shopping season the last where Main Street businesses must compete at a government-created price disadvantage.”
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In the letter, the groups argue special treatment of remote sellers distorts the market and puts many local brick-and-mortar businesses at a competitive disadvantage.
The letter also noted that 2013’s Cyber Monday’s sales increased 20.6 percent over 2012.
