SACRAMENTO -- Amazon.com shoppers, desperate to grab some extra savings online, are rushing to beat a midnight deadline for avoiding payment of the California sales tax.
After years of controversy, the world's largest online retailer is to begin collecting state and local sales taxes Saturday on California purchases.
Depending on where you live, sales tax ranges from 7.25% to 9.75%
"Definitely stocking up ... can't beat 8 or 9% savings," tweeted Patrick Chen, who identified himself as an Internet game developer.
New tax revenues to state and local governments, generated just by Amazon, are expected to be as high as $100 million during the first year, California tax officials said. The total from all Internet sellers could reach $317 million for the fiscal year that began July 1, they said.
Much more money is expected to flow into government coffers in coming years as e-shopping expands.
Both Amazon and the state tax collector, who have been at loggerheads for years over the issue of Internet...