Maryland residents may be surprised to hear of a required 6% tax on all online shopping, in addition to any taxes charged by the retailer. Although the state is losing millions in tax revenue–it is estimated that few Marylanders are even aware of the tax and fewer than 5% pay the tax–the responsibility lies with the state and not with consumers, says State Comptroller Peter Franchot. Franchot states that collection of taxes is a government responsibility and failure to have a reliable system in place should not be a concern to citizens unwittingly breaking the law.
