Gov. Rick Scott Rejects Deal to Bring Internet Retailer Amazon to Florida

Proposed deal to bring Amazon.com warehouses to Florida rejected.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is rejecting a proposed deal to bring major Internet retailer Amazon.com to the state.

Scott rejected an agreement that would have led to the construction of Amazon warehouses in Florida. The warehouses could have created up to 2,500 jobs in the state.

Amazon's arrival in the state would have meant that Floridians would have paid sales tax on Internet purchases made through the company. Amazon wanted to defer collecting those taxes until next February or when the warehouses were open and occupied.

A spokeswoman for Scott refused to say why the governor rejected the deal.

Scott's decision comes at a time Congress has been debating whether to allow states to collect sales taxes on Internet purchases their residents make with out-of-state companies. The measure passed the U.S. Senate but it has been opposed by leading Republicans including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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