Sales

Baltimore-area home sales rose 15 percent in April compared with a year earlier, and newly pending deals soared as buyers kicked the spring housing market into higher gear, according to data released Friday. Prices remained largely unchanged at $238,000 for the typical home in the region — Baltimore and its five suburban counties. That remains well under the region's April peak of $275,000 six years ago, after the housing bubble pushed up prices but before the bust and financial crisis deflated them.

Ticket sales for the 138th Preakness Stakes are up nearly 10 percent over last year, with some fans excited that the winner of the Kentucky Derby has a connection to Maryland. Maryland Jockey Club President Tom Chuckas said Monday that ticket sales for the May 18 event at Pimlico Race Course in North Baltimore have increased about 9.5 percent. All 26 tents in the corporate-sponsored village are sold out, Chuckas said, and the tables in the corporate village are almost gone. Chuckas said the jump in ticket sales, which suggests this year's race could see attendance rise for the fourth straight year and top the record of 121,309 set in 2012, was likely the result of several factors, including changing the race's "brand.

The Senate voted Monday to allow states to assess a sales tax on purchases from Amazon.com, eBay and other online retailers in a bipartisan measure that would also reduce the increase planned for Maryland's gas tax. The bill, which passed 69-27, would resolve a long-standing complaint of brick-and-mortar business owners, who say they struggle to compete with online companies that don't charge sales tax. The legislation requires Internet sellers to...

It is amazing that the U.S. Senate has been paralyzed to the extent that it is unable to pass legislation favored by 90 percent of Americans requiring simple background checks on gun purchasers but at the same time is poised to sock it to consumers by requiring Internet marketers to collect state and local sales tax on online purchases ("Click and pay," April 24). While The Sun's editors argue that the present sales tax collection system gives out-of-state Internet marketers an unfair advantage over in-state marketers, they ignore the fact that in-state sellers have an inherent advantage over online sellers: They are closer to the consumer and the point of delivery and therefore have substantially lower delivery costs than out-of-state sellers.

I see in the Sunpapers that Maryland wants to tax us on the things we buy on the Internet ("Bill to require sales tax for online purchases advances in Senate," April 22). Don't we pay enough taxes now? The state seems to tax everything that is not nailed down. We need to vote these people out of office. Who are these people telling us that the gas tax will be lower? You know that will never happen. Our motto for Maryland should be, "The state that taxes us to death. " Gerald Yamin, Pikesville Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

A little-noticed provision tucked at the end of the sweeping gun legislation approved by the General Assembly last month would shield from view key state gun records that now are public — a change that was pushed by gun-rights advocates during the intense legislative debate and passed unknown to the most ardent gun-control supporters. Current laws allow the Maryland State Police to release the names of people who apply to buy guns, who hold collector's licenses and concealed-carry permits, as well as details about weapon sales.

Micros Systems Inc., a maker of software for the hospitality and retail industries, reported third-quarter net income of $44.3 million Thursday, a 2.4 percent increase compared with the same period in 2013 and a record for a third quarter. The Columbia-based company said it also set third-quarter records for earnings per share and sales. Diluted earnings per share rose 3.8 percent to 55 cents per share, the company said. Sales grew 13.3 percent to $315.1 million for the quarter that ended March 31. "We continue to execute in a difficult environment and I am confident in our ability to meet not just the challenges but the opportunities which lie ahead," Micros CEO Peter A. Altabef said in a statement.

Hello dear readers, Saturday is the 10th Havre de Grace Community Yard Sale (April 27 – raindate April 28). Spaces are available by phoning 410-939-6562, to benefit the Havre de Grace Historic Preservations Commission. A final comprehensive list is available at the visitor center, 450 Pennington Ave. or 226 N. Union Ave. Otherwise, this will get you started: 414 Azra Court; 305 Bounding Home Court; 324, 325 and 330 Cigar Loop; 504, 532 and 534 Counterpoint Circle; 114 Deputed Testamony Place; 100 and 119 Flying Ebony Place; 409 Granville Court; 403, 450 and 507 Majestic Prince Circle; 305 and 306 Master Derby Drive; 313 and 314 Native Dancer Circle; 315 Seattle Slew Place; 214 Smarty Jones Terrace; 146 Snow Chief Drive; 540 Temperance Hill Way; 126 and 136 Touch of Gold Drive; 318 and 319 Victory Gallop Court; 207 War Admiral Way; 234 Whirlaway Lane.

Imagine you are a benevolent monarch and you have the power to institute a sales tax. (Even benevolent government has to be financed, after all.) Would you set one up that gave preference to sellers located outside your kingdom and penalized your own subjects? Would you go further and discourage those outsiders from even setting up shop in your country? Of course you wouldn't. That would be crazy. And while there are plenty of examples of insane heads of state, they aren't usually beloved by their people.

Online shoppers would have to pay state sales taxes on more purchases under legislation that advanced in the U.S. Senate on Monday - but Marylanders could also wind up paying a smaller increase in gasoline taxes. Bricks-and-mortar stores have long sought changes to a federal law that they say gives online companies such as eBay an advantage: Most Internet retailers don't charge sales tax, and most consumers ignore requirements to declare their online purchases for state taxing purposes.