A new law has been signed into effect and we should not be surprised. Gov. Gregoire and our Legislature have handed us another tax increase. Oh, they won’t put it that way – but that is what it is. They will now be taxing sales from Internet purchases. Their avowed reasoning is it will help brick and mortar retailers better compete. I might not have a major problem with this, having owned a small business for many years. However, their avowed purpose and their real purpose seem to differ in spite of whatever they may say to the contrary. In the Herald article on Friday, the second paragraph after the governor’s statement that “This will help level the playing field for businesses in Washington” it reveals, I believe, the real reason for most of us. It states “States have worked for years to find a way to stem the loss of tax revenue.” What does that tell you?
It is never mentioned that we also pay shipping, which in many cases takes the place of sales taxes. And, the sales tax is computed on shipping as well as the product itself! So the state collects even further from us. Why do we continue to put these same people in office who simply have an insatiable appetite for money – from us?
Sherwood Sage
Mukilteo
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