By Tony Huppert, CEO, Team Oil Inc.
The court ruling on Credit Card Swipe Fees is a double edge sword. The credit card companies, with their unlimited staff of lawyers and lobbyist, have convinced the politicians and courts of their expenses collecting and processing credit card transactions.
If the cost of collecting and processing retailer’s money, justifies the fees, charged by credit card companies, then WHY, are the retailers required to collect and process SALES TAX at the retailer’s expense. I can’t be the only one that sees unequal treatment here. I truly would like it if some one would explain to me WHY retailers are expected to collect and process sales tax with little compensation, $500 per $100,000 of tax collected, while the courts rule for the credit card company’s swipe fees to off set their cost. For every $100,000 of sales tax a retailer collects, the retailer could incur $4000 of credit card fees plus labor expenses.
It isn’t the tax; I just believe retailers should get reimbursed for collecting and processing sales tax just like credit card companies get paid for collecting and processing every credit card transaction.
I’m just trying to follow the US Bill of Rights, Amendment 5, ‘No private property can be taken for public use with out proper compensation.’ The retailer’s money is being taken to collect sales tax without proper compensation. It’s that simple.
The Credit Card attorneys have already provided the legislatures and the courts the documentation necessary to determine collection fees. Now all the States have to do is reimburse the retailers for expenses collecting sales tax for public use. I would estimate it at 6%, on the conservative side, but the Swipe Fee lawyers have the court proven fee for collection on file already.
Tony Huppert is a Wisconsin businessman of 40 years and CEO of Team Oil Inc., the family-owned and operated Team Oil Travel Center, and Subway in Spring Valley, Wis.
