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A group of heavy hitters in Florida politics want online stores to collect state sales tax. The Florida Chamber of Commerce, The Florida Retail Federation and Florida TaxWatch say collecting the tax could help lawmakers balance the budget and give small businesses a better chance of competing against online retailers. As Whitney Ray tells us, a bill to force online stores to collect taxes has been filed.

Graham Latsa is always looking for a good deal.

“I’m a cheapskate and because of that I want to get the lowest price,” said Latsa.

He found this custom bike seat and lift bar on Amazon.com for 45 dollars. He saved $2.70 on state sales tax alone… because Amazon doesn’t charge Florida sales tax.

“Part of me says they should but the other part of me says I’m cheap and I don’t want to pay that sales tax,” said Latsa.

Amazon is one of thousands of online stores that doesn’t collect state sales tax, because they don’t have a physical location in Florida. But what most shoppers who use these online stores don’t know is, they still owe the tax.

Here is the form online shoppers are supposed to fill out. It can be found on the Florida Department of Revenues website, but if major business groups get their way it won’t be necessary.

A coalition of business groups, including the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the retail federation is pressuring lawmakers to force online companies to start collecting. They say without charging sales tax, online shops have a price advantage.

“Government should not be picking winners and losers and this is a case that because of non-action they are picking winners against good state citizens,” said Rick McAllister, CEO of the Florida Retail Federation.

Besides leveling the playing field, collecting the tax could bring in between 50 million and two billion dollars a year in sales tax revenue. Legislative leaders haven’t been sold on the idea yet and some are dead set against forcing online companies to pay. But if the bill did pass, lawmakers say they would use the money to offset other business taxes.