WILL

MCDONNELL SET

VIRGINIA GOP

STRAIGHT ON

INTERNET SALES

TAX?

I was shocked to hear self-proclaimed "Republicans" in the Virginia House and Senate touting and praising an outrageous law that would force the state's residents to pay sales taxes on internet purchases.

I'd like to think I just imagined this. But if true, my hope is that Gov. Bob McDonnell will veto any such bill. I cannot believe any real Republican would ever support a completely unjustified tax like this.

We have our own internet sales tax champion in Maryland, Sen. Richard Madeleno (D-District 18), who last year sought to apply Maryland's ever-increasing sales tax to internet purchases.

Aside from despising taxes in general, I have the facts on my side in opposing internet sales taxes.

That's because a legitimate sales tax applies to purchases made in a state from a business which has a physical presence in the state. Orders from the internet, unless they shipped from a factory, warehouse, or retail location in Maryland, cannot be taxed under the traditional concept of a "sales tax." There is no physical impact on the state from an out-of-state transaction.

Virginia, like Maryland, doesn't need more taxes. It needs less spending. Government in both states has grown beyond its original job description - bigtime!

Gov. McDonnell has impressed so far. I hope he won't let his state down on this issue, especially because such a capitulation to the far left would only increase the energy of pro-tax forces in Annapolis.