I'm surprised CT hasn't thought of this

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ellocopato

I'm surprised CT hasn't thought of this

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Posts: 5511

07-01-09 2:17 PM

Viva la revolucion

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Usually we lead the nation in creative ways to tax people (my favorite being gym memberships):

http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/5448822

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Amazon.com said Friday it has pulled the plug on commissions for North Carolina Web sites that make referrals to the online retailer, because a law designed to collect taxes on some of its sales transactions could soon be enacted.

Seattle-based Amazon said it wrote to Web site operators, telling them its "Associates program" will end after Friday. Web sites that posted links to the company about its products have received up to a 15 percent cut on sales.

But the Legislature is considering a provision in its final budget plan designed to collect sales taxes on these so-called "click-through" transactions.

Competing House and Senate plans both contain the provision, so it's likely to be in the compromise budget proposal that could be approved in the next several days

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Graz Tundrawolf

#1

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Posts: 1323

07-01-09 3:19 PM

Okay, Maybe more than a bit Rabid

When in doubt, tax the internetweb!

There are just two rules of governance in a free society: Mind your own business. Keep your hands to yourself. - P.J. O'Rourke

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pailryder

#2

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Posts: 1421

07-01-09 7:14 PM

this is going to be so interesting to watch..."free internet sales" states vs "taxed internet sales" states...

time to collect some bags of tea.

BE ADEQUITE

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Gandol teh Pirate

#3

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Posts: 5460

07-01-09 8:27 PM

Time-traveling
cultural Marxist

Many states built their taxation models around sales tax. The federal moratorium on internet taxation was always a crock of shit and deserves to die. It's an unfunded mandate of the worst sort to states, and it killed me to watch both Dems and Repugs support that policy.

Tom (and Diane)

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fatesdefiance

#4

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Posts: 4989

07-01-09 8:39 PM

Community Member

Gandol teh Pirate wrote:
It's an unfunded mandate of the worst sort to states, and it killed me to watch both Dems and Repugs support that policy.

"Unfunded mandate" implies some requirement for the state to do something, and absorb the cost. How is this an unfunded mandate? I can't think of any costs that the states have to absorb in connection with this. Sure, it denies them a possible revenue line--but it doesn't present them with an obligation to spend.

That all said, I see no fundamental reason why the States shouldn't be able to levy a sales tax on internet transactions.

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Muerta

#5

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Posts: 3538

07-02-09 6:39 AM

Legend in the making...
Oh and quite modest

Connecticut passed a law that takes your respirations per minute (avg) and the amount of oxygen consumed, and starting this month, you will be paying a tax on the oxygen that you use.

That's why we don't have to pay internet taxes.

The despicable, vile, traitorous, democrat motherfuckers in the house just rammed through cap and trade which is going to kill jobs, increase costs for everyone on everything, and is yet another nail in America's coffin. If you voted for a Democrat or Obama your hand is on the hammer's handle and yes, I damn you. Borofin, June 26, 2009.

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vizco

#6

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Posts: 5449

07-02-09 7:06 AM

Raid Peon

Many states built their taxation models around sales tax.

So, because states have stupid taxation models and arrogantly think they should get an ever-increasing pot of money squeezed out of regressive taxes, we should cry for them? States and the Feds have all sorts of tax exceptions and preferences and tweaks and twiddles. Singling out internet transactions is just greed.

Do you actually know anyone who pays home state sales tax on things they buy (in person) outside their home state? Here in New England we have high-tax Massachusetts right next to zero sales tax New Hampshire. In theory if a MA resident buys anything in NH they are supposed to pay MA sales tax on it with their income tax payment. It's exactly the same situation as the internet: you buy something from outside your home state, you should pay tax on it. Except of course no one does, and the state doesn't even give a damn unless it's some huge purchase they manage to find out about. (MA wanted to force NH to give them all big-box store sales receipts so they could track down the evil tax evaders. NH told them to fuck off.)

We just had our sales tax in MA kicked up from 5% to 6.25%, a deal which was made to avoid raising the gas tax. Surprise! The governor says he may want that raised too.

Muerta, I hope no MA legislator reads your post or we'll get an oxygen tax too.

Gandol, you're supposed to call tax exemptions "tax expenditures," not "unfunded mandates." Didn't you get the memo? Surely the DNC has your email?

"You can't reason someone out of something they weren't reasoned into." - Jonathan Swift

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Klark

#7

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Posts: 2426

07-02-09 8:26 AM

vizco wrote:
So, because states have stupid taxation models and arrogantly think they should get an ever-increasing pot of money squeezed out of regressive taxes, we should cry for them? States and the Feds have all sorts of tax exceptions and preferences and tweaks and twiddles. Singling out internet transactions is just greed.

...
We just had our sales tax in MA kicked up from 5% to 6.25%, a deal which was made to avoid raising the gas tax. Surprise! The governor says he may want that raised too.

Speaking of tax models, it's amazing how much crying the CA legislature and the media are doing about prop 13, a thirty year old proposition passed that regulated property tax and required a 2/3 margin to pass new taxs.

6.25% sales tax? In LA county it is 9.75%. And we pay a higher gas tax. Be happy.

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Falkahnhan

#8

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Posts: 3302

07-02-09 8:28 AM

Muerta, I hope no MA legislator reads your post or we'll get an oxygen tax too.

And a carbon tax for exhaling.

- Joe

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.
- James Madison, Federalist No. 47

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Muerta

#9

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Posts: 3538

07-02-09 10:16 AM

Legend in the making...
Oh and quite modest

but if you hold your breath, can you get carbon credits?

The despicable, vile, traitorous, democrat motherfuckers in the house just rammed through cap and trade which is going to kill jobs, increase costs for everyone on everything, and is yet another nail in America's coffin. If you voted for a Democrat or Obama your hand is on the hammer's handle and yes, I damn you. Borofin, June 26, 2009.

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SoebsBigDaddy

#10

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Posts: 30

07-02-09 10:28 AM

This is the stupidest tax ever and I'm glad the governator veto'd CA's. All this will do is force the affiliates promoting amazaon (that is who the tax will nail) to either get a different job or move. Most will likely move, so NC then won't be collecting more tax and instead will be losing income tax and other taxes they'd usually collect on a person.

I live in NC and was watching our Gov talk on TV, it made me sad I voted for her as she had NO FUCKING CLUE what this even did. She was talking about how there was no way Amazon would stop selling to NC because it was the 7th largest state. Retard much? This tax doesn't effect amazon, it affect's it's affiliates. Amazon can still sell to NC free and clear.

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Klark

#11

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Posts: 2426

07-02-09 9:51 PM

SoebsBigDaddy wrote:
All this will do is force the affiliates promoting amazaon (that is who the tax will nail) to either get a different job or move. Most will likely move, so NC then won't be collecting more tax and instead will be losing income tax and other taxes they'd usually collect on a person.

Owings estimates he brought in about $80,000 in affiliate revenue from various companies in 2008, about $50,000 of which came from Amazon. After Amazon recently shuttered its North Carolina affiliateprogram in response to that state's attempt to collect sales taxes, Owings said he and his wife were thinking about heading elsewhere to run their business.

"We're terrified," he said. "We just bought a house here a year ago and we're looking at having to move out of state just to keep our business going."

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creac

#12

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Posts: 3190

07-03-09 3:33 AM

Mortal Wombat
Administrator

I just wanted to mention we've just had a tax cut here in income tax. Average wage earner will pay $750- less a year. Middle-High earners also get a little back ($100- less per $5k from $75k to $150k). I would have preferred to see this rolled forward rather than the cash stimulus payments that the government handed out to charge up the economy, but hey can't get everything.

They did do some strong corporate investment tax breaks (our financial year has just ended/started) and resulted in the 4th highest month of car sales on record, ever, in June.

I guess what I'm saying is, fix the problem with the ridiculous amount of wastage (which isn't just a simple "make government smaller") and then you'll have plenty to do other things without over burdening the people.

Average wage earner here probably pays something around 20% of their total income in taxes (of all sorts, income, GST, etc) if they have a mortgage or rent. Those who outright own their homes pay a little more 'cause they spend more and GST catches more unless they're saving the money or investing instead of spending of course.

"But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,
All losses are restored and sorrows end."

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Ganders

#13

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Posts: 3277

07-03-09 5:14 AM

Average wage earner here probably pays something around 20% of their total income in taxes

That's pretty low, to UK eyes anyway.

The whole segmented nature of sales tax in the US has always confused me - why the hell can't you just have a single federal sales tax; surely that would solve this issue overnight?

Oh, and while I'm fixing your sales tax regime, would it not kill you to include sales tax on the frigging price ticket? Like, you know, the rest of the entire fucking world?

/rant off

I support indoctrination in the schools starting at kindergarten promoting homosexual parity and normality, environmental catastrophism, white guilt, and American unexceptionalism

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creac

#14

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Posts: 3190

07-03-09 7:31 AM

Mortal Wombat
Administrator

That's my estimate based on federal income tax rates and then assuming any amount not spent on rent/mortgage pretty much gets spent and therefore incurs GST.

There are some other taxes that aren't so direct, like the cost of corporate taxation that obviously goes into the price of goods, so it's a relatively simplistic analysis on my part, but at least somewhat comparative.

As for the US tax system, the whole State's rights thing gets in the way - it's often more the Untied States of America than the United States of America it seems from here.

We have state's rights issues here at times, but the GST was a major tax overhaul that saw the States give away a lot of their power to raise taxes to allow a single, federal collection which is then allocated back to the states mostly on a population basis (but there's always some negotiation based on major projects etc) and the states do still levy some taxes (payroll tax, for example, is levied by the states) and stamp duty on property sales and the like.

Of course, having a flat 10% GST makes it easy to know what the tax is here (and it's just given as a final price, not "plus tax") but the receipt shows it itemised because some items (fresh food, items considered essential and such) are exempt from the GST.

"But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,
All losses are restored and sorrows end."

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Muerta

#15

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Posts: 3538

07-03-09 8:08 AM

Legend in the making...
Oh and quite modest

Oh, and while I'm fixing your sales tax regime, would it not kill you to include sales tax on the frigging price ticket? Like, you know, the rest of the entire fucking world?

I have oft wondered about this too. It does make it so much simpler to know how much something costs when the tax is already included on the label- however, it doesn't encourage deal-seeking shoppers. You see, if you ask a Belgian how much they spent on their flat-screen tv, they will tell you the full cost. If you ask an American, they will tell you the cost prior to taxes which makes it sound like a sweeter deal.

I think its all about bragging rights.

The despicable, vile, traitorous, democrat motherfuckers in the house just rammed through cap and trade which is going to kill jobs, increase costs for everyone on everything, and is yet another nail in America's coffin. If you voted for a Democrat or Obama your hand is on the hammer's handle and yes, I damn you. Borofin, June 26, 2009.

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Falkahnhan

#16

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Posts: 3302

07-03-09 8:20 AM

The whole segmented nature of sales tax in the US has always confused me - why the hell can't you just have a single federal sales tax; surely that would solve this issue overnight?

what do you mean? There are different sales tax rates because states, and cities, set their own sales tax. I have a feeling that the federal government setting sales tax levels for states, cities, etc wouldn't be very popular nor effective.

Now, if you're talking about a federal sales tax to replace the US income tax system I think you'd be on the right track.

- Joe

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.
- James Madison, Federalist No. 47

Last Edited By: Falkahnhan 07-03-09 8:27 AM. Edited 1 time.

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vizco

#17

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Posts: 5449

07-03-09 10:18 AM

Raid Peon

The whole segmented nature of sales tax in the US has always confused me - why the hell can't you just have a single federal sales tax; surely that would solve this issue overnight?

Because we have a Federal system, not a unitary government. There used to be a Federal luxury goods excise tax (i.e., a Federal sales tax), 10% if my memory is accurate. As a practical matter of economics, different states have different economies and different levels of spending, so why should their sales taxes be uniform? Massachusetts is not the same as Nebraska.

Oh, and while I'm fixing your sales tax regime, would it not kill you to include sales tax on the frigging price ticket? Like, you know, the rest of the entire fucking world?

Where's your tolerance for cultural diversity? Damned imperialists. Seriously, most Americans hate government and so reminding them explicitly how much of a purchase is taxes is something we think is worthwhile.

"You can't reason someone out of something they weren't reasoned into." - Jonathan Swift

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Klark

#18

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Posts: 2426

07-03-09 10:50 PM

Ganders wrote:

Average wage earner here probably pays something around 20% of their total income in taxes

That's pretty low, to UK eyes anyway.

The whole segmented nature of sales tax in the US has always confused me - why the hell can't you just have a single federal sales tax; surely that would solve this issue overnight?

Oh, and while I'm fixing your sales tax regime, would it not kill you to include sales tax on the frigging price ticket? Like, you know, the rest of the entire fucking world?

/rant off

1) Do you not have various layers of government to fund? The federal government here does not use sales tax to raise revenue (for the most part); state and local governments use it a lot. We try to keep government as local as possible, which includes different states having different opinions of how much it wants to tax itself. Some state have no sales tax (because they get revenue through other means). CA as a sales tax on goods, but not services or food.

2) Different places have different sales taxes - how would we include it in the price? In my county, the sales tax varies by city. The next county over (five to ten miles up the road) has its own tax rate. Our tax rate just increased by 0.5% two days ago because the %$#@* citizens of this county approved a bond for train development. Are advertisements suppose to change based on what county has changes in their sales tax rate?

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Ersiusp

#19

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Posts: 3829

07-04-09 10:05 AM

1-900-Santa

The way I read the pricing complaint was that it was referring to price tags at point of sale, not advertised price. With that distinction, it's definitely valid.

"A government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth."

-Ronald Reagan

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Darkhon Enchanter

#20

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Posts: 397

07-06-09 10:09 AM

Yes. If you are buying in Nebraska and the Sales Tax is 10% for example, a $1000 dollar TV should have a price tag saying $1100. Drove me nuts last time was in the US adding 6% or whatever to every damn purchase.

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I'm surprised CT hasn't thought of this

I'm surprised CT hasn't thought of this

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