Advocacy

Takin’ It to the Press: Betsy Burton on Amazon’s Egregious Behavior

In response to Amazon’s price app promo, Betsy Burton of The King’s English penned a Letter to the Editor of the Salt Lake Tribune. She’s encouraging other booksellers to do the same in order to capitalize on the recent media attention to focus on why indies matter.

Children’s Art to Be Auctioned at Winter Institute

Participants in Wi7 in New Orleans will have an opportunity to support the free speech rights of children and young readers by bidding on a dozen original pieces of children’s art by some of the book industry’s top artists and illustrators.

ABA Responds to Amazon App Promo

ABA CEO Oren Teicher has written an open letter to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos that highlights the glaring discrepancy between the company’s recent statements in support of sales tax fairness and Amazon’s latest exploitation of an inequitable strategic advantage.

Pennsylvania Clarifies Sales Tax Nexus Laws

A December 1 Pennsylvania Department of Revenue regulatory bulletin makes it clear that under existing sales tax laws remote sellers with nexus in the state through warehouses or online affiliates are required to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made in state.

ICSC Ads and Videos Promote Sales Tax Fairness

The International Council of Shopping Centers has placed full-page ads in support of sales tax equity in a number of publications, including the New York Times. In addition, the organization has launched a sales tax fairness video series, with the first featuring Betsy Burton of The King’s English Bookshop.

Pennsylvania Issues Sales Tax Fairness Bulletin

At press time, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue issued a regulatory bulletin stipulating that, under current sales tax law, remote retailers that have warehouse facilities or online affiliates in Pennsylvania have nexus in the state.

House Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on Sales Tax Fairness

On Wednesday, November 30, the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing to discuss the authority of states to collect sales tax on online purchases.

California Booksellers Could Face Fines Under Privacy Law

California booksellers could face civil fines of up to $500 if they improperly disclose customer information under a state law on reader privacy that goes into effect on January 1. 

4 Kids Owner Advocates for Sales Tax Fairness

Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys in Zionsville, Indiana, was one of about 40 retailers taking part in a November 16 sales tax advocacy day in Washington, D.C., organized by the Alliance for Main Street Fairness.

New York Librarians Honor ABFFE

The New York Library Association has presented its SirsiDynix Intellectual Freedom Award for 2011 to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression.

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