U.S. Senate committee examines Marketplace Fairness Act
August 2, 2012 ·
When Sen. Jay Rockefeller visited our studio recently, he spoke about his support of a sales tax online retailers would have to collect when they conduct business. Rockefeller believes this would create a level playing field for state small businesses that do the same. He chaired a committee hearing on proposed legislation.
The Senate Commerce Committee hearing examined the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would allow states to require online retailers to collect sales taxes when people make purchases.
That money would then go back to the states. Rockefeller says this legislation would help small businesses keep their doors open.
"Small businesses are always in peril and they end up serving as kind of a display case to consumers that see the product in person but end up buying online to avoid paying state sales tax," Rockefeller said.
Rockefeller says this issue is causing the state of West Virginia to lose millions of dollars in revenue that could help pay for health care programs.