Colorado new online retail law

I had joined Amazon.com's Associates program ... you know, when you recommend books and other products, then get a tiny bit of income from it? It was nice, although over the span of about a year I only earned about $5. No problem.

But I noticed last month that my account had been discontinued. Closed. I wrote up a query to Amazon as to why, and just found a response in my in-box. This is what is said....

Thank you for contacting us about status of your account. The Colorado government recently enacted a law to impose sales tax regulations on online retailers. The regulations are burdensome and no other state has similar rules. The new regulations do not require online retailers to collect sales tax. Instead, they are clearly intended to increase the compliance burden to a point where online retailers will be induced to "voluntarily" collect Colorado sales tax -- a course we won't take.

We and many others strongly opposed this legislation, known as HB 10-1193, but it was enacted anyway. Regrettably, as a result of the new law, we decided to stop advertising through Associates based in Colorado. That is why your account has been closed. We plan to continue to sell to Colorado residents, however, and will advertise through other channels, including through Associates based in other states.

There is a right way for Colorado to pursue its revenue goals, but this new law is a wrong way. As we repeatedly communicated to Colorado legislators, including those who sponsored and supported the new law, we are not opposed to collecting sales tax within a constitutionally permissible system applied evenhandedly. The U.S. Supreme Court has defined what would be constitutional, and if Colorado would repeal the current law or follow the constitutional approach to collection, we would welcome the opportunity to reinstate Colorado-based Associates.

You may express your views of Colorado's new law to members of the General Assembly (http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/CLICS2010A/csl.nsf/directory?openframeset) and to Governor Bill Ritter (http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/GovRitter/GOVR/1177024890452) , who signed the bill.

Unbelievable. Thanks, Colorado legislature and Governor Bill Ritter. Thanks for taking away a way to earn income from home.

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Please plant a nut or fruit tree today.