New Colorado tax brings logistical challenges for small businesses
A new tax is being added to deliveries and ridesharing in Colorado as state lawmakers look to raise more money to improve roads. The taxes have gone into place after SB21-260 was signed into law saying businesses needed to start charging on July 1.
But the quick implementation is causing problems for some small businesses.
"Delivery fee is something that is not currently programmed to be taxable," said Adam Morr, the owner of Diz's Daisy Flower Shop in Denver's Highlands.
"For people that call in, we can manually add it. But, for people who are ordering online, there's no way for us to currently have that tax added to the delivery fee," he said.
Morr says he's been on the phone with his software company to try and figure out a solution for the 27-cent tax.
Lawmakers are hoping new taxes on ridesharing travel and deliveries will help bridge a gap in funding. Morr thinks the additional charge will be small enough it won't push customers away.
"Nobody wants to look at their receipt and see multiple line items after the total purchase price," he said.
Morr, who does most of the deliveries all over the Front Range for the flower shop he owns, hopes construction wraps up quickly and leads to improved roads.
"If they're going to reach some end point where things are completed and traffic starts flowing smoothly, I'm happy to pay for it. If it's just perpetual construction, it sucks," he said.
