State Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette, hopes to turn up pressure on the state to collect sales tax from Indian reservations with a letter to the New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

Nozzolio is calling for Spitzer to enforce an 18-month-old law that would require currently exempt Indian businesses to collect sales tax. The crux of Nozzolio's argument is $200 million in anticipated revenue included in the Spitzer administration's state budget.

"It is now September and the state Department of Taxation and Finance has not implemented guidelines to collect these taxes," Nozzolio wrote. "This lack of action could result in a budget shortfall in next year's New York state budget.

"I believe it is imperative that you authorize the Department of Taxation to enforce the law and immediately begin collecting sales taxes from Native American-owned businesses," he said.

The senator went on to say the sales tax exemption puts other retailers at a disadvantage, especially those near Indian reservations. Though a law was passed by the state Legislature in March 2006, it has not been enforced.