Advocacy

On Thursday, May 3, ABA CEO Oren Teicher e-mailed member stores about an important opportunity to make a public comment about the Department of Justice consent decree in regard to the agency model.

In a blow to Illinois’ Main Street retailers, Cook County Circuit Judge Robert Lopez Cepero ruled Wednesday that a law requiring remote retailers with a broad network of online affiliates acting as sales agents in the state to collect and remit sales tax was unconstitutional.

This week, ABA submitted written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in support of the Marketplace Fairness Act (S. 1832), legislation that would give states the right to require remote retailers to collect and remit sales tax in the state, if they choose to do so.

ABFFE is urging booksellers to participate in the 30^th annual celebration of Banned Books Week, from September 30 to October 6. This year’s plans include an Internet read-out, a speaker program for bookstores interested in hosting an event about censorship, and more.

ABA CEO Oren Teicher urged the Massachusetts Department of Revenue to require Amazon.com to collect and remit sales tax on orders made by Massachusetts residents. Teicher’s letter was prompted by news that Amazon.com is opening an office in Cambridge. 

A U.S. District Court struck down as unconstitutional a sales tax fairness law in Colorado that required out-of-state retailers to either collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by Colorado residents or inform their Colorado customers that they owe use tax on any purchase they have made.

On Wednesday, April 4, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law a bill that requires remote retailers with nexus in Utah via distribution centers or subsidiaries to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by state residents.

Last week, Betsy Burton, the co-owner of  The King’s English Bookshop and an ABA Board member, spoke in support of sales tax fairness at the International Council of Shopping Center’s Strategic Leadership Summit and the American Independent Business Alliance 2012 Conference.

The campaign for sales tax fairness continued to heat up this week, with legislative activity in Iowa and Louisiana.

Contributions of all forms of original artwork, from a sketch on paper to finished work in any medium, are wanted for the Annual Children’s Art Auction and Reception at BEA to benefit ABFFE and the Kids’ Right to Read Project.

Here’s a roundup of recent developments on the sales tax fairness front in Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, and New Jersey, as well as a report on ABA’s recent meetings with the staff of key legislators in support of a federal solution.

Award-winning author Walter Dean Myers, who has confronted numerous challenges to his books for young people, will help raise funds to support the free speech rights of kids by serving as the honorary chair of the Annual Children’s Art Auction and Reception at BookExpo America.

On Monday, ABA Board members and staff met with representatives of the  Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., to express ABA’s support for agency model pricing of e-books in connection with the Department’s ongoing investigation of e-book pricing terms.

The sales tax equity fight continues in Arizona, despite recent legislative setbacks in the state Senate.

On Tuesday, PayPal retracted its threat to close the accounts of online booksellers that sell works including descriptions of rape, incest, and bestiality.