Politics & Government

Aide Tells Chamber: Skinner Pushing "Amazon Bill"

State Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner's duties in Sacramento forced her to cancel her appearance at the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, but an aide delivered her appeal for a state law to tax online purchases.

State Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner is continuing to press for the so-called "Amazon law," which would require out-of-state online retailers to charge California sales tax, her aide told the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.

"She's really pushing this bill," said Mark Chekal-Bain, district director for Skinner. He spoke on her behalf after she canceled her scheduled talk at the chamber's monthly luncheon, held Wednesday at in Kensington.

Chekal-Bain said Skinner, a Democrat whose district includes El Cerrito and Kensington, had to attend a committee meeting in Sacramento Wednesday as lawmakers continue to struggle with a budget deficit estimated at nearly $10 billion, despite a recent increase in tax revenues.

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Skinner estimates the online tax measure, AB-153, would collect nearly $2 bllion a year from Amazon, Overstock.com and other online retailers that do not currently add California sales tax to their sales in California.

"That's just fairness," Chekal-Bain said, adding that the online retailers' refusal to collect the tax at the point of sale undercuts California businesses and is forcing some to close. It also robs the state and localities of badly needed income, he said.

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"That's taking away the sales tax revenue from our cities and state," he said. "We see small businesses closing."

State law currently requires California residents to pay the uncollected taxes when they file their state income tax return, but few residents apparently comply with the law. When Chekal-Bain asked the dozen guests at the luncheon how many comply with the requirement, only one raised his hand.

Skinner introduced the "E-Fairness" legislation in January. She also had introduced it in 2009, and it passed the state legislature but was vetoed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarznegger.

Chekal-Bain discounted reported threats by large retailers to retaliate by restricting sales in states that pass such laws, noting that passage of similar legislation in other populous states, including New York and Illinois, would make such retaliation impractical.


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