[TheNakedMan]

Petition signed.

Please let me know, I can't allow this to pass it would destroy my way of life.

[carly50]

I am at the beach guys but was horrified by the email from Amazon. If this passes, it will devastate my family. I am a single mom with a mentally disabled son. I have to work out of my home. (I do have a part time job elsewhere but I have to take my son with me when he's not in school.) I am desperate to contact the right people. I did contact Bev Perdue twice yesterday but feel I need to do more.

Is anyone near Morehead City, New Bern, Jacksonville, or other nearby locations? I would like to meet too! I can't sit here and do nothing! If Amazon pulls out, others are sure to follow. Have you seen the map that Linkshare posted yet? Its horrifying. (I am on there as I am sure you are!)

Here's the map:

http://blog.linkshare.com/2009/06/17...1/#comment-323

OMG! I wonder what Google looks like. I am headed to the other NC forum on this site to see who's listed to contact.

If anyone wants to get in touch with me, I have enabled emailing me. Keep me posted folks and good luck! (A big shout out to Matt for all he's doing! I signed the petition but we need more signatures. I don't have a twitter account yet (bad girl) but could others that do please tweet this to all your friends? HELP!!!

[Uncle Rico]

Anyone know when this will be voted on?

[carly50]

July 1, 2009. Not much time guys. Contact your senators NOW!

[Uncle Rico]

So on July 1st, Gov. Bev Perdue just has to sign this and it's done?

[Rich Owings]

Possibly before the end of the month.

[carly50]

I must assume so!

Here's the letter I wrote my senators. Do with it what you will. Go to the other NC affiliate forum (on this site) and click on the link to find your own senators and call or email them NOW! Today! Do not delay!

Hi [senators name],

I live in [your city] and am very concerned about a letter I recently received from Amazon.com. Amazon is threatening to pull out of NC if Senate Bill 202, (NEXUS CLARIFICATION AND CLICK-THROUGHS SECTION 27C.2.(a) G.S. 105-164.3(18) passes with the new tax on click through links, I will lose my business. If Amazon pulls out of NC, so will Google, Linshare, and so on.

[give your own story here] I am also the single mother of a mentally disabled child [senator's name]. Our very existence depends on this income. (which I do pay taxes on already!) Because of my son's needs, I have to work out of my home.

If this bill passes as is, it will devastate other North Carolinians too. There are thousands of us. In short, I have been working for four long years on my [web site business here] health and beauty web site. If this bill passes as is, I will have no choice but to sell what I have and leave the state. Others will too!

Here are a few pertinent links for you to see what's happening.

Here is the Greensboro, NC news article with an overview: http://www.news-record.com/content/2...bout_tax_issue

Shawn Collins post:

http://blog.affiliatetip.com/archive...orth-carolina/

View forum posts:

http://forum.abestweb.com/showthread.php?t=117755

Sign the petition:

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/ncaffiliatetax

Linkshare map - This is devastating!

http://blog.linkshare.com/2009/06/17...1/#comment-323

Please do NOT sign this bill. I have lived in NC all my life. Its my home. My father helped found the school of Dentistry at UNC Chapel Hill. Our family is here in NC. I love it and don't want to leave!

Thank you for your time!

Sincerely,

Carolyn Dickerson
Newport, NC

[Chuck Hamrick]

If someone in NC wants to contact their state representatives and offer a conference call with some of us in the industry I am happy to facilitate it. Would be more than happy to invite those active here on ABW and with Affiliate Voice. I can provide a Go to Meeting conference call number and will put together an outline of speaking points.

[carly50]

I would also be available for a conference call or to write emails or do anything else I can to help!

Please note this.

If you do not live in NC, this may not affect you right now, but believe me, it may in the future. If one bill gets passed in one state, others are sure to follow suit.

Start talking to your politicians now.

Also, if you live in NC and have NOT contacted your state representatives, you must do this now. Even if you're not an Amazon affiliate. Why? Because if Amazon pulls out, so will Google, Linkshare, Shareasale, Commission Junction, Infolinks, Kontera, etc.

Write your senators today!

[carly50]

Here is a list of all NC representatives by District/County:

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/membe...sChamber=House

[Matt Enders]

In addition to contacting the representatives, which i know a lot of us have been doing over the past two days, it also makes sense to try and talk with affiliates and other industry people from other states where success was had in shooting down the Affiliate Tax. If you were involved in another state's fight, please do share your insight.

[Ernesto_Martinez]

Hello everyone,

I received the Amazon notification this afternoon and have signed the petition and it lit a fire under me. I had to stop everything I was doing due to the impact this could have on my family.

Carly50, should I be contacting all of the members in my county (Wake) from that URL you provided?

Matt, LinkConnector.com has their corporate offices here in Cary NC.

Corporate Headquarters
1135 Kildaire Farm Road
Suite 200
Cary, NC 27511

Phone: 919.468.5150

I called and spoke with David Troop. He informed me they were made aware of the situation yesterday and they've been following it closely. David provided me with his email address and agreed to pass the petition around the office and to others as they are against this bill being passed.

Matt, thank you for taking such an active role in this. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do. I'm going to try to make one of the live appearances. I'm located in Raleigh and work my full time job in Cary.


Thanks,

Ernesto Martinez

[Kevin]

If you do not live in NC, this may not affect you right now, but believe me, it may in the future. If one bill gets passed in one state, others are sure to follow suit.

This sounds vaguely familiar.

Good luck, guys. It's a difficult fight.

[crlharris]

LATE BREAKING NEWS

Amazon has already updated its Associates application process! The Contact Information page now reads:

"Residents of North Carolina are not eligible to participate in the Associates program"

The bill hasn't even passed yet! Looks like the die is cast as far as Amazon is concerned.

This is devastating.

[Ernesto_Martinez]

I just got an email from Commission Junction and thought I would pass it along:
==========================
Dear North Carolina Publisher,

North Carolina's budget tax bill now includes "affiliate nexus" language. Commission Junction is opposed to the Internet retail tax in general, and we strongly encourage you to send a letter of opposition to Senator David W. Hoyle, Senator Daniel G. Clodfelter and Senator Clark Jenkins.

Please visit this page and scroll to the North Carolina Internet Retail Tax section to find a template you can use and modify accordingly for your email as well as the Senators' email addresses.

Let's join together to oppose this bill!


Sincerely,

The Commission Junction Team
==========================

Hope this helps.

[carly50]

I just got this letter from Pat McElraft, who is a Local commissioner. She is the only one I heard back from personally. I asked her about the bill (that she voted against). I asked her if she thinks it will pass. This is what she said: It reads as follows:


I am afraid it will pass and I'm afraid that they are going to add more taxes before they are through with it in conference. I don't know who they think will pay these taxes since all the small businesses will go under with these new tax burdens.
Thanks,
Pat

This is a very sad day for me for sure. I don't know if I will ever be able to smile again. My business is gone after 4 long years of hard work. Damn shit!

[carly50]

I just got another reply from Pat McElraft. It reads as follows:

I will share this with the budget writers in the Senate and the House. Keep hope and don't give up. We will find a way to get this stopped or find a way for Amazon etc to work around this.
Thanks and may God Bless You,


PLEASE don't give up guys. Keep fighting. Keep writing the senators and House Representatives in your district. Hell, write the President if you think it will help! Write all of them!

[carly50]

To make it easier for anyone reading this. I followed the links from Commission Junction (of which I too am an affiliate) It reads:

DATE: 6/18/09 North Carolina's budget tax bill now includes "affiliate nexus" language which may be voted on as early as July. We strongly urge you to immediately email Senators Hoyle, Clodfelter and Jenkins to express your opposition to this change to the budget bill. Click here for a sample communication you can modify accordingly and send to the Senators (David.Hoyle@ncleg.net, Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net, Clark.Jenkins@ncleg.net).

The letter they recommended sending them:

EMAIL TO:
David.Hoyle@ncleg.net
Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net
Clark.Jenkins@ncleg.net
[Date]
Sen. David W. Hoyle
Sen. Daniel G. Clodfelter
Sen. Clark Jenkins
300 N. Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925


Subject: OPPOSITION to SB 202, Section 27C.2
Dear Senators Hoyle, Clodfelter and Jenkins,
I am a small business owner with a website, and I am in strong opposition to Section 27C.2 of SB 202, which could specify that sales tax is due and to be collected by an online retailer when the online retailer uses an in state affiliate to sell its products.
I am opposed to this Section of the bill because it would substantially harm my small business by reducing a large source of revenue that I rely on to survive. This revenue results from providing advertising on my website as part of an “affiliate” or “associate” program with out-of-state retailers. [Describe how your business model is set-up and what you contribute to the local economy.]
If retailers believe that doing business with me will result in their having to collect sales tax on all North Carolina sales, they likely will sever ties with my business, putting the viability of my business at risk. Such was the case in New York State where Overstock dismantled its affiliates program and I am told by my colleagues that hundreds of other businesses followed Overstock’s example. This left thousands of affiliates – most of which are small- and medium-sized businesses – with a major loss of income.
For these reasons, I respectfully oppose Section 27C.2 of this legislation.

Sincerely,

PLEASE EMAIL THEM TODAY! DO NOT WAIT!

[ewchaisson]

One thing to keep in mind as we fight the NC Affiliate Tax. The affiliate tax is now part of SB202 which is the 2009 Appropriations Act (simply put, the state budget for the next fiscal year). So, the bill will pass. It has to. The state cannot operate without a budget. The fight then turns to individual aspects of the bill. The nexus redefinition (which is the core of all affiliate taxes, regardless of the state) is part of section 27C.2 as referenced by the CJ letter.

With this in mind, do not get discouraged when Representatives and Senators (or even the media for that matter) feel strongly that SB202 will pass, because as I mentioned, it will have to for the state to function. Also, when writing and talking with Representatives and Senators make sure to express opposition specifically to this section, not to the bill as a whole, because they will quickly dismiss such opposition.

To educate yourself on the language that is being used in the bill, read it yourself here:

http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/B...PDF/S202v6.pdf (page 268 line 42 - page 269 line 11)

This is the part of section 27C.2 that deals specifically with "remote sales" via affiliate links.

Keep up hope. Keep up the fight!

[TerriFalcone]

Originally Posted by JoyUnltd

OMG...and I was thinking about moving down there. Didn't know they were such a tax-happy state--and I thought NJ was bad. Another state bites the dust of misunderstanding.

Yes, but their other taxes are quite low and overall the cost of living is far lower. I was used to living in New York City where it will cost you $6.00 one way to cross the Whitestone or Throggs Neck Bridges and those bridges connect the Bronx with Queens. Imagine commuting and payin 12.00 a day just crossing one bridge. If you drive a car in New York or pretty much anywhere from Boston to Washinton DC you will will be bleeding tolls and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

[carly50]

Ewchaisson makes an excellent point. When I wrote my senators, I said 'don't pass this bill as is'. But I agree, we need to mention that we know the bill must pass, but that they should exclude the NEXUS CLARIFICATION AND CLICK-THROUGHS SECTION 27.C.2!

Kudos for bringing up this point!

[Rich Owings]

carly50,

Are you going to be able to visit legislators in person? You have a compelling story that puts a very human face on all this.

[IAmMe]

I need some clarification...

I live in NC and will do what it takes to keep my business alive, so:

Can I incorporate out of state, and have my corporation hire me as an contractor, and I still live in NC?.. Is this a way around the law?

also..

Can I become a sole propietor in another state, but have my office be in NC? In other words, can I become a sole propietor in SOUTH carolina, and do all of my work from home in NC and be OK under this law?

Lastly, what happens if you simply change your mailing address at CJ, LS and SAS to say your business is now located at your relatives address in another state. Would anyone know?

Thanks..

[Rich Owings]

I think we're screwed. Check this http://forum.abestweb.com/showpost.php?p=924740&postcount=4 .

I'll be in Raleigh Mon. & Tues., but hope to meet with my attorney on Wed. Right now it looks like we're moving out of state.

[IAmMe]

Thanks for that link, Rich..

I wonder if this scenario would work:

I incorporate outside of NC. I hire a contractor outside of NC to maintain my websites. The only thing I do is collect the profits as the owner of the corporation (I continue to live inside NC).

Would this be a legitimate way of avoiding this law?