Massachusetts Simultaneously Takes Amazon To Court And Looks To Land HQ2
As Massachusetts leaders and several of its cities prepare bids for Amazon’s HQ2, the state’s Department of Revenue has pressed legal action against the corporate giant over its refusal to share business records.
The state’s Monday court filing in Suffolk Superior Court stems from the company’s alleged refusal to divulge records of vendors that sell products on its website. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue issued summonses in August to different units like Amazon Technologies Inc. and Amazon Retail LLC, the Boston Business Journal reports. The state wanted documents that identified third-party companies that had stored goods at Amazon warehouses in Massachusetts.
The Department of Revenue wants the records to determine how much those vendors owe the state in taxes. Massachusetts has become tougher on e-commerce tax collection as the state has faced a budget deficit.
The legal matter comes weeks away from an Oct. 19 deadline for North American cities to submit bids for Amazon’s HQ2. Boston has been viewed as a front-runner, and Gov. Charlie Baker has said he is pursuing a bid on behalf of the entire state.
Massachusetts asked the court to demand Amazon hand over the requested business records within 20 days.
