An Internet Loss for Merchants

In Orange County Voices (“Internet Tax Freedom Act Proves a Successful Start-Up,” Oct. 31), Rep. Christopher Cox proudly points to his advocacy of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, which allows in Internet commerce the privilege of not paying sales taxes to those communities in which purchasers reside.

Cox says that the naysayers of this program have been proven wrong, that tax collections in California were up 8.8% from last year, and the board which collects sales taxes endorsed a permanent ban on Internet sales tax.

I have recently taken advantage of this concession in the purchase of an expensive VCR and video camera. I would have bought this from a local supplier, but the almost 8% savings was too much to resist.

Cox says that Internet transactions amount to less than one-eighth of 1% of sales and use tax collections. That’s the reason, of course, that it has not yet affected local commerce.

To call this the Tax Freedom Act is a gross mistake; it is, really, a punishment for those who would rather feel and try an item before buying it.

Oh, of course we can accomplish this by shopping the stores, picking the item, then going to the Internet when we have made up our minds.

I’m glad I’m not the proprietor of one of those stores.

WILFRED COUZIN

Laguna Niguel