Obstacles Still to Overcome for Streamlines Sales Tax
From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Help  

Obstacles Still to Overcome for Streamlines Sales Tax

Date: September 24, 2007
By: Brandon Smith
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: Missouri was a non-participant at a meeting last week in which nearly half the states in the country tried to decide how your Internet purchases are taxed.

Brandon Smith as more from Jefferson City.

RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board is made up of 22 states whose intent is to standardize Internet taxing systems across the country.

At issue is when you buy something on the Internet, whether your pay sales tax based on where you live or where you purchase the item from.

St. Louis County Democratic Senator Joan Bray criticized Missouri's boycott of this plan.

Bray said further education and political will are necessary for Missouri to take the steps needed to join the Board.

 

Actuality:  BRAYSST2.WAV
Run Time: 00:06
Description: We have these two problems.  We have our huge number of tax rates and then we have origin sourcing.

Bray said she does not foresee any movement by the state soon.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Brandon Smith.

 


Intro: Missouri was a non-participant at a meeting last week in which nearly half the states in the country tried to decide how your Internet purchases are taxed. 

Brandon Smith has more from Jefferson City.

RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

At issue at the meeting was when you buy something on the Internet, whether you pay a sales tax based on where you live or where you purchase the item from. 

Missouri had stopped attending meetings of the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board under Governor Blunt.

Department of Revenue spokesman Lowell Pearson said while Missouri did not go to the meetings, they monitored all of the Board's actions and wanted to wait and see how other states' programs worked out.

 
Actuality:  MODOR1.WAV
Run Time: 00:04
Description: Well, we don't believe in spending taxpayer dollars just to attend meetings.

Pearson said Department of Revenue Director Trish Vincent attended the Board's most recent meeting in Kansas City, Kansas because now is the time period for Missouri to begin evaluating the success of the streamlined sales tax project in other states.

Missouri will also attend the Governing Board's next meeting in Dallas in December.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Brandon Smith.