Board of Equalization representative District 2, George
Runner, today will join other elected officials, community leaders and
Amazon.com representatives at an opening ceremony for the company’s new
San Bernardino fulfillment center.
“I
applaud Amazon’s decision to voluntarily invest in California, bringing
thousands of jobs to our state,” said Runner. “Working cooperatively
with job creators like Amazon is the most effective way to rebuild
California’s economy.”
A new state law (AB 155)
requires some out-of-state online retailers to start collecting tax as
of September 15; however, Runner noted that very few companies have
registered so far.
In
2011, Runner was a leading voice in opposition to the so-called “Amazon
Tax,” which threatened to destroy thousands of cutting-edge small
businesses known as affiliates. After a drawn-out battle, both Runner
and Amazon supported compromise legislation (AB 155), which delayed key provisions of the original legislation (AB 28X) until September 15, 2012.
The
compromise allowed time for Amazon.com to voluntarily establish a brick
and mortar presence in California and renew its working relationships
with thousands of California-based affiliates.
“As
an elected member of the State Board of Equalization, I have the unique
privilege of working with job creators like Amazon,” said Runner. “I
want to help those companies succeed in our state in the face of many
tax and regulatory obstacles.”