Will Amazon Get a Visit From the Tax Man?

theodp writes to tell us that according to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon.com has raised a few eyebrows with their strategy to avoid paying sales tax in eight states where they have warehouses or distribution centers. "As an online retailer, Amazon can avoid collecting sales tax in states where it has no presence, at least until Congress changes the law. But in states where a company has actual facilities, such as warehouses, states tax officials can require the company to collect sales tax. Despite operating hundreds of thousands of square feet of distribution facilities in the eight states, Amazon says it doesn't have any presence in them. The company argues that it doesn't operate the plants, its wholly owned subsidiaries do."

Re:hey, isn't today Gates' last day at Microsoft?

[heliocentric]

It was his last day, but then Lumberg asked him if he could just go ahead and come on in on Saturday then too, mmmm'kay?

Amazon for 1000

[mapsjanhere]

"what is Chutzpa"

Has Amazon expanded inventory, again?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Now, I like tax free(er, I mean, untaxed at time of sale, later calculated and payed by me, in accordance with the law) purchases from Amazon; but their logic seems, at best, deeply tortured.

In fact, my first thought on seeing that explanation was "Wait a second, Amazon has started up a defence contracting department?"

How long?

[JSBiff]

There's a joke about lawyers. . .

      A bad lawyer can let a case drag on for years. . . a good lawyer can make it last even longer.

Re:hey, isn't today Gates' last day at Microsoft?

[Sponge Bath]

Bill Gates is spineless

He prefers the term 'flexible'.

Re:hey, isn't today Gates' last day at Microsoft?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's because it only works with hardware not floppies.

Re:Untamed Slashdot

[mcpkaaos]

You wanted an argument? Oh, I'm sorry, but this is abuse, you want room 12A, just along the corridor.