Policy

Senate To Vote on Internet Sales Tax Measure

Prepare to be mugged

|

Many polls from the past few years have found that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are just slightly less popular than catching the flu while on a beach vacation. Remarkably, the U.S. Senate could approve a bill this week that will likely make lawmakers even less popular with many online shoppers.

The Senate is expected to vote as early as Monday on the long-debated issue of an Internet sales tax. The bill being considered in Washington now would require online outlets with sales of at least $1 million to collect sales tax in all states, even those in which they don't have a store, warehouse or other physical operations. Today those taxes don't have to be collected by e-retailers in states they don't set (flesh or robot) foot in.