Amazon tax deal details to remain secret in Idaho

Amazon has begun collecting sales tax on internet purchases shipped to Idaho under an agreement reached with state officials earlier this year, but details surrounding the deal aren’t being disclosed.

The Idaho State Tax Commission has denied disclosing information about the new deal for Amazon – which went into effect Saturday – citing that state law bans discussing specific information about an individual taxpayer even though the agreement will impact all Idahoans.

All online sales are already legally subject to sales tax in Idaho, but the state doesn’t have a simple way to collect from out-of-state sellers. That means consumers typically have to self-report and pay the taxes on their own. State officials have long suspected many people don’t self-report.

Amazon collects state sales taxes from all but a handful of states.