By Oscar Y. Harward
In placing out-of-state purchases on the Internet, North Carolina’s and associated local county/city governments receive their appropriate portion of the applicable sales tax based on the home purchasers’ home address origination.
On the other hand, when I purchase a product via telephone in NC, the sales taxes are distributed to the county/city government(s); based on the businesses address location; not the purchasers’ home address origination.
If a salesperson calls on you at home, purchased applicable local sales taxes go to the county/city government(s); based on the applicable businesses address location; not the purchasers’ home address origination.
When you and I purchase products in person from our homes, on the telephone, on the Internet, etc., the applicable local sales taxes should go the county/city of purchasers’ home address origination.
Sales taxes paid on purchased products in a store you visit 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 NC and their local governments a fairer way to assure that ‘sales taxes paid at home stay at home’.
