NASHVILLE-Gov. Bill Haslam said Thursday he continues to back the Bredesen administration’s commitment to Amazon that the company will not be required to collect state sales taxes despite locating two distribution centers in Southeast Tennessee.
But the governor was less than clear about how he intends to deal with legislation sponsored by two powerful Republican lawmakers, whose amended bill would require Internet retailer Amazon to collect sales taxes on items it sells to Tennessee customers.
“I’ve actually just got the legislation this morning,” Haslam told reporters. “As I understand it, the attorney general is looking at that [constitutionality] as well. So I’ll probably wait to see what he says before we do it [weigh in].
“Obviously the state does have a commitment to Amazon.”
On Wednesday, Amazon’s vice president for public policy, Paul Misener, said legislative efforts to require the Internet retailer to collect sales taxes on purchases made by Tennessee-based customers are unconstitutional. If approved, he warned, it could cause the company to abandon the centers it is building in Hamilton and Bradley counties.