[Encosia]

The affiliate program must increase the number of sales that Amazon makes or it wouldn't still exist. Of those additional sales generated by IL affiliates, some portion of them would have been shipped to IL - probably a disproportionate amount due to most IL-local sites being owned/maintained by IL residents.

The local ecosystem that Amazon indirectly supports is difficult to quantify, but I think you're dismissing it too quickly. Everything from the affiliates' state income tax to the tax on the fuel used to deliver the boxes needs to be considered.

We don't tax grocery stores for putting the milk man out of business, computers for eliminating type writer repairmen, nor email for the imminent demise of the USPS. Why Amazon?