The key is that these few tax-hungry states require you to file an annual report and sign under oath and with criminal penalties for lying, swaeaiung as to your actual unpaid sales taxes, or paying them their required minimum. Most states with a few notable exceptions don't do anything, including go after individuals (or it would be big news).
Yes, the sheer audacity of some states wanting people to follow the law and pay the revenues they legally owe.
So if your state doesn’t go after you, then committing an illegal act is perfectly fine? That seems to be your implication over several posts. Is claiming your dog as a dependent on your tax return ok, as long as you don’t get caught? Stealing from your employer? Mugging that little old lady walking home from cashing her social security check? Hey, as long as you don’t get caught, it’s all good, right?
Now, I know you’re not advocating robbery. But what about when that little old lady that you didn’t rob has her house burn to the ground because there was another fire in the area and the local fire department was inadequately resourced, because they didn’t get their share of the billions of dollars of state revenue lost to scofflaws like you? Or maybe it will be your house. But you can relax, because in your opinion you’re committing and encouraging a ‘victimless crime’. Bravo!
Ps, you
do know that not paying use tax on out of state purchases is illegal like all forms of tax fraud, don’t you? And you know that it’s not the merchant’s responsibility to pay it, it’s yours, right?