Oscar Y. Harward: Keep paid taxes at home
In placing out-of-state purchases on the Internet, North Carolina’s and associated local county and city governments receive their appropriate portion of the applicable sales tax based on the home purchasers’ home address.
On the other hand, when I purchase a product via telephone in North Carolina, the sales taxes are distributed to the county/city government(s) based on the business’ location, not the purchasers’ home origination.
If a salesperson calls on us at home, purchased applicable local sales taxes go to the county/city government(s) based on the applicable business’ location, not the purchasers’ home origination.
When we purchase products in person from our homes, on the telephone, on the Internet, etc., the applicable local sales taxes should go to the county/city of purchasers’ home address origination.
Sales taxes paid on purchased products in a store visited in another county should continue as with the current county/city government sales tax distribution.
New legislation is essential in correcting an overdue wrong by providing working men and women of North Carolina and their local governments a fairer way to assure that sales taxes paid at home stay at home.
Oscar Y. Harward
Locust
This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 6:38 PM with the headline "Oscar Y. Harward: Keep paid taxes at home."