Ohio businesses urged to utilize use-tax amnesty - WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio's tax commissioner is urging eligible businesses to take advantage of a state amnesty program before it ends and avoid penalties and interest for any unpaid use taxes incurred since January 2009.

Tax Commissioner Joe Testa says the use-tax amnesty ends May 1. The program was intended to increase awareness of the use tax that many business taxpayers don't know exists. Testa says Ohio businesses have paid more than $19.8 million in use-tax debt since the program began Oct. 1, 2011.

The use tax has the same tax rate and base as the sales tax. It generally applies when out-of-state suppliers don't collect Ohio sales tax and the Ohio consumer must pay use tax.

Testa says the issue is growing as more businesses buy products and services from outside Ohio.

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