Florida business groups have argued for years that retailers in the state are at a competitive disadvantage because out-of-state businesses aren’t collecting sales taxes.
An effort to require out-of-state online retailers to collect sales taxes on purchases made by Floridians advanced Thursday in the Senate as economists project the move could bring in more than $1 billion a year in revenue.
Sen. Joe Gruters bac proposal requires online businesses with no physical presence in Florida to collect sales taxes when customers in Florida make purchases.
A proposal that could pump more than $600 million a year in tax dollars into coronavirus-damaged state and local coffers got off to a quick start Monday in the Florida Senate.
But backers of the proposal (SB 50), which drew unanimous support from the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee, just don’t want anyone calling tax collections required in the bill a “new” tax.
Sen. Joe Gruters, who doubles as chairman of the state Republican Party, said his proposal simply requires online businesses with no physical presence in Florida to collect sales taxes when customers in Florida make purchases.
A proposal that would require more online sellers to collect Florida sales taxes and turn the money over to the state will appear Monday before the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee.