Fuck you Amazon - offering 7,000 jobs IF the state changes the law the way you

[BR_Parkway]

want? These are people's lives you're bartering with, blackmailing to get the laws you want?

Dear California - put the CEO's ass in jail until the company complies with the law the same way you would Joe Citizen who said he wasn't paying the taxes

Amazon Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has put forth an attractive offer to the Californian government, where if the state levies its sales taxes, it will hire more than 7,000 employees.

The State of California recently announced that they are introducing a new law which would require out of state companies to pay sales taxes, if they sell goods in the state. California has been suffering financially due to the current economic situation and this has become necessary in order to increase the states overall revenue. California further confirmed that the law would be called Amazon Law, as it has been put into place in order to make sure Amazon.com, Inc. pays such taxes. Once Amazon realized that the law was being put together to collect taxes from the company, despite the fact that they work from out of state, they immediately advised that they would cease all operations in California, if the law was passed. Regardless of Amazons warnings, California went ahead and introduced the new law several months ago and on the same day Amazon advised their vendors in the State of California that they would no longer continue to work there.

Soon after the introduction of the new law, Amazon announced that they would take the new law to the ballot boxes, so that residents can vote to overturn it. However now it seems that the company has had a change of mind and instead they are trying to get out of the ballot box voting. In an effort to move away, Amazon has requested that the states considers giving them a tax break until 2014 and in return, they would create at least 7000 new jobs for state residents. In a meeting with law makers, earlier during the week, Amazon advised that they would open six new distribution centers in the state, which would create the new positions. However it seems that law makers are not happy with Amazon’s proposal.

Due to the company’s decision to stop working in the state, until the law is overturned, it seems that thousands of jobs have been lost. A large number of Amazon’s vendors relied on the company’s business but now they are not able to continue with their daily operations. Despite the loss, the state feels that it is important for all retailers, including online retailers to pay sales taxes. As online retail has continued to increase, this would be the best way for the state to increase their revenue. If the law is kept in place, the state stands to earn approximately $200 million from internet retail sales taxes, which they can not afford to lose.

Read more: http://www.beaconequity.com/smw/12125/Amazon-to-Offer-7000-Jobs-in-California#ixzz1WpZuqqGZ

[TwilightGardener]

1. Corporations have 100% of the power right now. The bad economy isn't hurting them--

it's making their dreams come true.

[Ship of Fools]

2. FUCK YOU AMAZON.

[CountAllVotes]

3. isn't this called

BLACKMAIL? :argh: !!

[atreides1]

10. No

It's called capitalism, or is it free trade?:sarcasm:

[Starry Messenger]

4. Oh sure, they'll keep that promise too!

:sarcasm:

I really hope the lawmakers don't fall for this.

[xchrom]

5. the argument is over WHO collects the taxes.

the taxes are already collected.

but if amazon pays them -- then bricks & mortar stores can be more competitive w/ amazon sales.

[Shandris]

17. No, they really can't.

Let me demonstrate. Just today I ordered some new books, priced at $49.99 each at my local bookstore.

Amazon had them for $31.97 each. With free shipping (like always). Even if Indiana (my state) were to collect taxes from every Amazon transit that passed through our state, the actual stores STILL need to make up THIRTY-FOUR PERCENT PER BOOK difference in cost. For someone with little money like myself, that is a difference that is SO large, there is literally no way to pass it up. Raising the price isn't the answer, either, or the little I can purchase becomes even less, which eventually translates into less jobs down the line.

While I agree B&M stores need some way to compete, matching the sales tax isn't going to do anything but lower the amount of goods people buy from Amazon, and right now the economy needs as much 'stuff' being purchased as possible. I don't have the answer though, although I think it might start with giving tax breaks to the B&M stores (state only, not local) because they have a community presence. But that's just off the top of my head.

[xchrom]

18. this is really just about the taxes & who collects the taxes.

the taxes aer already collected -- cali wants amazon to collect them -- & not the individual stores.

it does give amazon a leg up -- & this takes that away from them.

no -- individual stores can't take the hit a mega corps can -- but every little bit counts.

[BiggJawn]

6. Standard Operating Procedure.

Only most other industries demand 10-15 year moratoriums on *ALL* taxes, Income, property, sewer, unemployment, you name it, they demand an exemption.
And in exchange they'll promise to bring jobs into the state.

[LonePirate]

7. We need some state attorneys general with the guts to throw these crooks into jail

If corporations are people like the right wing wants us to believe, then their leaders can start serving time for crimes committed by corporations.

[BR_Parkway]

15. Yeah, that's the one time they seem to have all the cards stacked in their

favor. This sure smells like blackmail and attempted bribery - guaranteed if I were to do the same, I'd be locked up.

[Rex]

8. This is the Age of Corporations.

Information Age...take a back seat, thanks!

[HereSince1628]

9. I remember Elgin Watch Co abandoning Elgin in the early 1960s

some place in S. Carolina changed tax laws...

The government-business connection is a generations long tradition in American politics.

[madrchsod]

11. i have a couple of wall clocks that were made in elgin

built like a tank and still work like new.

[ellisonz]

12. I say get rid of the sales tax.

AND TAX THE RICH!!!

<we need a hammer and sickle smilie>

[obama14]

13. How about stop taxing the internet period!

Keep it free , open and TAX FREE.

After taxing comes regulation....

[mwrguy]

14. Time to take a look at Amazon's books

Crawl up their ass with a microscope.

Fucking parasites.

[Brigid]

16. Interestingly enough . . .

That is exactly what the vet did to my cats when I took them in last week. To look for parasites. Literally. :rofl: