California Online Sales Tax Deals: Who Really Gains?

California cities have made deals with retailers—Best Buy Co. Inc., Apple Inc., QVC, Walmart Inc., and others—to be the point of sale for statewide e-commerce purchases in exchange for a cut of the sales tax proceeds. But who really benefits? On this episode of Talking Tax, senior reporter Laura Mahoney sits down with Bloomberg Law editor Bernie Kohn to talk about her closer look at Dinuba, a small city in California's Central Valley, and its tax-sharing deal with Best Buy. Dinuba gives half of its influx of sales tax money to Best Buy and 10% to the lawyer who brokered the deal. Tens of millions of dollars are involved in an agreement that will last 40 years. They discuss what Dinuba's deal with Best Buy means for its fiscal health and quality of life compared with its neighbors, and how the tension between the haves and have-nots is part of a statewide debate about sales tax rules in California. Do you have feedback on this episode of Talking Tax? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.