"Uncollected sales taxes on Internet purchases cost the states more than $16 billion in 2001"

In this quote, Bill Delahunt is highlighting the significant impact of uncollected sales taxes on Internet purchases on state economies. He states that in the year 2001 alone, the states suffered a loss of over $16 billion due to the lack of collection of sales taxes on online purchases. This implies that the states were not able to collect the needed taxes from online merchants, leading to a substantial loss of earnings. This loss not just affects the state's spending plan and capability to money crucial programs and services, but it also creates an unreasonable advantage for online sellers over conventional brick-and-mortar stores. Delahunt's quote clarifies the urgent requirement for policies and regulations to address this problem and ensure fair tax for all services.