The era of tax-free e-mail, Internet shopping and broadband connections could end this fall...

The era of tax-free e-mail, Internet shopping and broadband connections could end this fall, if recent proposals in the U.S. Congress prove successful.

Exactly how many times should taxes be added to your purchase?

Let's say you buy a book from an online retailer and you're not paying your local sales tax. The retailer is paying taxes on his income from the book. The packaging supplier and the printer of the book, in addition to the author are as well. The delivery service is paying taxes on the gas that they're using to bring you said book.

Exactly what part of that is not bringing the taxes in to your community? Taxes are being paid at every step except for you. Since the book is being delivered, you've got both a road and a vehicle tax being paid.

The local municipalities are just pissed because they're missing a cut of the pie. If government doesn’t have the money to pay for something, then they need to look where they're spending the money. Perhaps they could start by cutting their own salaries and privileges.