Second-hand kit purchase issues FL-TX

reader wrote:
I've read on the Cozy mailing list or the Canard Flyers list that in Texas
it was sufficient to state that all applicable taxes have been paid for a
plans-built. On the same list, it was mentioned that Massacusets wanted a
sales tax on all materials purchased from out of state.

I have a buddy here in Texas (he lives just north of Houston) who just
ordered a quick-build kit for an RV-8 and everyone is suddenly now
advising him he's going to have to pay "use tax" on the out-of-state
purchase of the kit and parts themselves. Seems that Texas is starting
to ramp up on trying to collect "use tax" on any out-of state
mail-order, online, and phonecall purchases of *any kind of
merchandise* for which the purchase price is on their radar screens. At
nearly $27K for the whole RV-8 quickbuild kit bought all at once, I can
imagine that amount is certainly going to be on someone's radar screen.
Now just how the state is going to track a sale of parts bought in
Oregon (home of Vans) I don't know.