Online tax bill would help Main Street

[Commentary] As shopping has moved online, brick-and-mortar shops have been reduced to virtual showrooms. Customers view the products showcased in artful displays, ask questions of the ever-helpful proprietor and then buy an item online to escape the sales tax or otherwise save a few bucks. A House bill aims to restore fairness to the marketplace by helping Main Street stores compete with Internet retailers and to communities by creating a means to collect needed tax revenues. Small shops (and large) are disappearing from our downtowns, affecting livelihoods, livability and public services. A bill that addresses the unfair competitive advantage online retailers have over brick-and-mortar stores - and the debilitating effects on our communities - is long overdue.