Requiring online retailers to collect sales taxes would be unfair, onerous

[Commentary] The Internet holds such fertile ground for creativity and growth that it's tempting for states in search of much-needed revenue to look online for simple, streamlined solutions to complex problems. Unfortunately, collecting taxes has never been a simple process. Shifting the burden to Internet retailers would not only be unfair, it would also suppress one of the strongest sources of commercial growth in today's fragile economy. When a consumer makes a purchase using the Internet, that transaction is certainly taxable. The real question is who has the responsibility of collecting the correct amount of tax and remitting it to the appropriate tax jurisdictions.

[John Greco is president and CEO of the Direct Marketing Association.]