Sales Tax Initiative

The American Booksellers Association is calling on member bookstores in North Carolina to urge their legislators to support Internet sales tax legislation currently under consideration in the state Assembly.

This week, a group of independent trade associations joined to urge Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to support Internet sales tax legislation included in the omnibus tax bills currently being considered in conference committee.

Booksellers urged to write Governor Pawlenty

This week, California Internet Sales Tax legislation (A.B. 178) -- which would require out-of-state companies that have affiliates in California to collect and remit sales tax on sales made over the Internet to in-state customers -- was held over for future consideration.

Booksellers in Minnesota urged to write legislators now

Earlier this month, the owners of Vertigo Books in College Park, Maryland, announced on the store blog that the indie bookstore would be closing. Many people read Vertigo's "Goodbye" post, including Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher, whose piece about the closure considered the event from the perspective of a reader, book buyer, and community resident -- and included an online readers' poll about customers and indie bookstores.

On Monday, April 27, Alzada Knickerbocker of The Avid Reader in Davis, California, and Hut Landon, the executive director of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA), are scheduled to testify at a hearing before the California State Assembly Committee o

On Monday, April 20, Sue Zumberge of Common Good Books in St. Paul, Minnesota, is scheduled to testify in support of Internet Sales Tax legislation at a Minnesota State Senate Taxes Committee hearing.

This week, four booksellers in Maryland strongly encouraged other ABA members in their state to join the fight for e-fairness. Last week, Maryland State Sen. Richard Madaleno (D-District 18) introduced S.B.

Legislators in Maryland are the most recent lawmakers to introduce e-fairness legislation. The state joins California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Tennessee in considering legislation that would require out-of-state companies that have affiliates in their states to collect and remit tax on sales made to in-state residents over the Internet.