Quinn not ready to sign Internet sales tax bill

Gov Pat Quinn (D-IL) says he remains undecided about signing an Internet sales tax bill sitting on his desk: It could force thousands of website marketers to flee the state, but he expressed strong concern that brick-and-mortar retailers are hurt by the current tax system.

“It’s important that we realize we have to have a fair tax structure,” he said, speaking for the first time on the issue outside the White House after a meeting on job creation with other Democratic governors and President Barack Obama. “We can't have some companies that remit sales taxes and others that don't.” The so-called “Amazon Tax” bill, which passed in the Illinois General Assembly's last veto session, has created a firestorm in Chicago’s technology community. It would require out-of-state firms such as Amazon.com Inc. of Seattle to pay Illinois sales tax on transactions that originate on websites based in Illinois. Already, Amazon and Overstock.com Inc. of Salt Lake City have notified Illinois affiliates that they will stop doing business with them if the bill becomes law.