Bookstore Owner Applauds Fact that Amazon Will Soon Collect Sales Tax

One local business owner is applauding a recent announcement by Gov. Chris Christie.

Jonah Zimiles of in Maplewood lent his voice to a release Wednesday from the Alliance for Main Street Fairness after the announcement by Governor Christie that Amazon.com would be required to collect and remit New Jersey sales tax.

The release celebrated the fact that, as of July 2013, Amazon will be required to collect and pay New Jersey sales tax now that two huge Amazon warehouses are to be built in New Jersey. Amazon — as well as other out-of-state online retailers — have not been required to collect the 7 percent New Jersey sales taxes from consumers that in-state retailers are required to charge.

Although New Jerseyans may not be excited to pay more on their Amazon.com purchases, state tax coffers should benefit. NJ.com reports that the governor said that sales tax revenue from Amazon could safely be estimated at $30 million to $40 million (although Amazon is applying for state tax incentives).

Noted the Alliance for Main Street Fairness:

For years, Amazon.com has received a substantial seven percent price advantage over New Jersey-based retailers because of outdated sales tax laws that allow out-of-state companies without a physical presence in the state to avoid collecting and remitting sales tax.  The announcement that Amazon will build here in New Jersey finally provides a date certain whereby New Jersey-based retailers know they can compete on a level playing field with the Internet's largest retailer.  

The release also quote John Holub, President of the NJ Retail Merchants Association:

"There has been no bigger issue facing retailers than sales tax fairness, and we need to now use this event to continue the momentum and pressure Washington to finally resolve this issue for all Internet retailers once and for all."

Among retailers from across the state — from Fairfield to Lawrenceville to Toms River — Maplewood's Jonah Zimiles had this statement to offer:

"This issue is about fairness, by requiring online retailers with billions of dollars in annual sales to play by the exact same rules as local stores like mine that line our town's family-friendly main street. is not merely a shop selling books, but an active and integral part of Maplewood. As a result of today's major development, we hope that small independent retailers in New Jersey will be able to continue to serve our communities."