The anti-business sentiments expressed by Boulder Rep. Jack Pommer a few weeks ago has spread through the ranks of the Democrat Party, which is now attacking Amazon.com for keeping its promise to cut ties with Colorado affiliates if the state imposed a new sales tax on Internet purchases.
“Now that Bill Ritter isn’t running for governor, and the silence from the candidate vying to replace him has been deafening, Jack Pommer’s anti-business rhetoric is apparently the new staple of Democrats’ economic talking points,” said Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction.
Two weeks ago, Pommer accused businesses of not caring about Colorado during floor debate over a slew of a multi-million Democrat backed tax increases. Neil Westergaard, editor of the Denver Business Journal, responded by calling Pommer the “most clueless lawmaker” and accused him of being the “torchbearer in a series of attacks on business this year and last.”
Yesterday, Pommer once again lead the anti-business attack when Amazon announced its decision to cut ties with Colorado affiliates. Later in the day, Ritter, Senate Majority Leader John Morse, D-Coloardo Springs, and Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder, piled on the insults, calling Amazon’s decision “selfish” and “unjustified”.
Yet, Amazon had warned lawmakers it would pull out of Colorado if the Democrat controlled legislature instituted a new law requiring online shoppers to pay sales tax on their purchases. In a strongly worded letter to its local associates, Amazon called the new law “burdensome” and promised to “advertise through other channels, including through associates in other states.”
"The Democrats’ bill and their anti-Amazon rhetoric doesn't harm Amazon,” said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. “It hurts the thousands of Colorado affiliates who used to make money and used to pay taxes from Colorado."
The Denver Post opinion writer Chuck Plunckett duly noted that “there were plenty of signals” Amazon would lay off its Colorado associates. The Post editorial board even warned the new tax was “problematic for such little gain.” Plunckett went on to chastise gubernatorial candidate and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper for missing a “golden opportunity in not weighing in on this tax.”