Amazon.com has filed paperwork to put a referendum on the ballot in California. It would be about overturning a recent law requiring Californians to pay sales tax for things they buy online. Amazon isn’t required to collect taxes in states where it has no physical presence but it also relies on a fairly extensive network of affiliate sales organizations. Many states are hurting for revenue these days so they’re requiring taxes from sales from those affiliates. Amazon has pulled affiliate programs from Connecticut and Arkansas after those states demanded taxes. The California approach of taking it to the voters is new. Presumably Amazon is predicting that Californians will not vote for the option of being taxed.
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