Who remembers the summer of 2015? It was full of sequels and reboots - some wanted and some unwanted. New entries for Avengers, Mad Max, Jurassic World, Terminator, Mission Impossible, and even National Lampoon's Vacation graced the screen. While a few were welcomed by audiences, others might have been better off left entirely on the cutting room floor. One event of that summer that may have gone unnoticed by many but will surely be reviled by most consumers was the passage of the Simplified Seller Use Tax Remittance Act, which will begin the collection of sales tax from online retailers like Amazon.

When Alabama passed the Simplified Seller Use Tax Remittance Act, it essentially began a countdown until online retailers like Amazon started charging sales tax on purchases to Alabama residents. On Tuesday, November 1st, the tax will go into effect. This may rankle the likes of many online shoppers, but for the countless brick-and-mortar retailers in the state, this is viewed as helping to level the playing field.

The flat 8% sales tax across the state will ease the burden on having to collect the right rate for each county and locality. Instead, online retailers will remit their collections to the Alabama Department of Revenue. What effect might this have for the ALDOR? One estimate from the National Association of Counties believes up to an additional $50 million will be brought in. Half would go to the state, and the rest would be divvied up among the cities and counties, based on population.

How does Huntsville stand to benefit? Based on 2010 census data, Huntsville is the 4th most populous city in the state, among 460 cities and towns. At 180,000 residents, the Rocket City is just behind Birmingham with 212,000; Montgomery with 206,000; and Mobile with 195,000. Meanwhile, Madison city ranks 10th with 43,000 residents. Madison County's 335,000 residents makes it the third most populous out of 67 in the state - Jefferson (658,000) and Mobile (413,000) are ahead. Therefore, Huntsville should see a great deal of the collected sales tax that begins November 1. Perhaps when we look back on this, the tax revenue generated from Amazon and other online retailers participating in the voluntary collection program will be remembered fondly.