california
How can private businesses compel the government to collect tax?
<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kirimasters/2019/08/08/california-lawsuit-says-amazon-should-pay-billions-in-back-taxes/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.forbes.com/sites/kirimasters/2019/08/08/california-lawsuit-says-amazon-should-pay-billions-in-back-taxes/</a></p>
<p>Apparently an obscure business forced the California government to collect tax from amazon.</p>
<p>How does that make any sense? How can a private company force the government to collect taxes?</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Apparently an obscure business <strong>forced</strong> the California government to collect tax from amazon.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>No, this is not true.</p>
<p>Mr. Grosz filed a lawsuit asking the court to force California to collect tax revenues. The lawsuit is still pending before the court without a decision on the merits. As the saying goes, anyone can sue for anything; their success is another matter.</p>
<p>The apparent legal basis for standing is section 526a of the Code of Civil Procedure, which allows taxpayers to sue against wasteful or illegal government spending:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>526a (a) An action to obtain a judgment, restraining and preventing any illegal expenditure of, waste of, or injury to, the estate, funds, or other property of a local agency, may be maintained against any officer thereof, or any agent, or other person, acting in its behalf, either by a resident therein, or by a corporation, who is assessed for and is liable to pay, or, within one year before the commencement of the action, has paid, a tax that funds the defendant local agency ...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Plaintiff has claimed that, allegedly, there is a mandatory duty to collect taxes and that failure to do so constitutes a waste.</p>
<p>The court will decide if it will accept this argument and compel the collection.</p>
