WJBC Forum: This may be one time the federal government can be of use

An internet sales tax prompted Amazon.com and Overstock.com to drop Illinois affiliates. (Photo by Getty Images)

My son had a birthday recently and my wife bought him a pair of shoes online. Actually, they were from Grandpa. She shops for him sometimes and for me as well.

Turns out they didn’t fit right, so she took him to a local store and got virtually the same shoes but they were almost 50% cheaper. My wife is more savvy about purchasing online than I am. Of course, she buys more things than I do. She’s also very good at shopping in local stores. She wastes (ahem) I mean uses lots of gas seeking good bargains. Don’t worry. She’s out of town and won’t be listening today. Oh geez, you’re going to put this on the website aren’t you?

Anyway, I suspect all of you keep track of your online purchases so you can pay sales tax right? Do you have a tax calculator I can borrow? Sometimes my older brain can’t quite compute the taxes owed. But there is a plan in Congress to help me. Senate bill 1452 would provide a centralized, one-stop, multi-state registration system for sellers. Then they can collect the taxes just like our local merchants have to do.

Sales tax is certainly important to all states. But to me, more importantly is the effect of people shopping online to avoid the taxes rather than shopping at our local merchants. These are our neighbors and they hire our neighbors. Yes, they have to compete. But how can they? One way is better service.

But, it’s tough in this economy. I don’t know if people shop online just to avoid taxes. If they do, it’s a poor excuse. For the few times I shop online, it’s for something that’s not available in town. Or, maybe I’m just lazy. That’s a joke. I’ll have to remember that one that one the next time I have to waste gas to take this car to the post office to return something.

Anyway, I think this may be one time the federal government can be of use. At least until they find some way to foul it up.

Good luck young’uns.

This is Jim Snow with WJBC’s Forum.

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Jim Snow is retired from State Farm Insurance where he was a consultant. Jim and his wife Karen live in Normal.

The opinions expressed within WJBC’s Forum are solely those of the Forum’s author, and are not necessarily those of WJBC or Townsquare Media.