Amazon Would Love Caligula’s Sales-Tax-Free Rome
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Dec. 5 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Supreme Court effectivelytold Amazon.com Inc. this week to become a tax collector.
The case originated with a New York law that forced theonline retail giant to collect sales taxes from customers livingin that state. Amazon, which understandably wished to maintainits tax-free competitive advantage, initially challenged the lawin the state court. When the New York Court of Appeals ruledagainst the company in March, it appealed to the Supreme Court.On Monday, the nation’s highest court refused to hear the case,effectively validating the lower court’s decision and signalingthat the days of tax-free shopping on the Internet may be comingto a close in New York and beyond.