Inhofe, Coburn Vote No On Internet Sales Tax
Senate OKs Internet sales tax proposal
BY WAYNE GREENE World Senior Writer
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
The U.S. Senate approved a measure Monday that would require large online merchants to collect sales taxes on goods sold to consumers in Oklahoma and 44 other states.
The Marketplace Fairness Act passed on a 69-27 vote. Oklahoma Sens. Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn, both Republicans, voted against the measure.
“The Marketplace Fairness Act first and foremost represents a tax increase, which is why I opposed it,” Inhofe said in a press release Monday evening. “I am also concerned this bill would add layers of red tape and regulations onto online businesses of all sizes, which in turn would hurt consumers, entrepreneurs, and future economic growth.”
Proponents of the measure said it would allow traditional storefront merchants to compete with Internet retailers without having to face an unfair pricing difference, but opponents say it would create other inequities and set up U.S. merchants to be undercut by foreign competitors online.