New York’s Legislature made the right decision in 2008 when it passed a law requiring Amazon.com and other Internet retailers to collect taxes on sales to New York customers. Amazon challenged the law in a lower court, and lost in January. A New York appeals court is expected to rule soon. New Yorkers will be well served if it upholds the lower court’s ruling. And other states would be wise to look to New York as a model.

Sales taxes for any state are legally due on online purchases that would be taxable if the items were bought in a local store. If the retailer does not collect the taxes, the buyer is supposed to remit them to the state.