Comments on: States push to tax Net shopping
Tax collectors warn that on April 17, Americans had better fess up to what taxes they've avoided through Internet shopping--or else.
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The problem is I don't think the consumers that shop online should be the ones that have to keep track of this. The companies all companies even if they don't have a presence in the state should have to collect the sales tax.
I don't know why when the government local, state or federal decides to do something they have to make it everyone elses big mess. The businesses are in business to make money, they should be the ones to deal with the sales or use tax issues, not Joe who bought a waffle iron from Amazon.com.
Robert
In the present form of taxation trying to collect use tax is an impossible and expensive problem.
What entities are really trying to do is to RAISE the price of doing out-of-state transactions so expensive it is better to shop locally. Right now the taxless price is the only incentive to buy online.
The problem is I don't think the consumers that shop online should be the ones that have to keep track of this. The companies all companies even if they don't have a presence in the state should have to collect the sales tax.
I don't know why when the government local, state or federal decides to do something they have to make it everyone elses big mess. The businesses are in business to make money, they should be the ones to deal with the sales or use tax issues, not Joe who bought a waffle iron from Amazon.com.
Robert
In the present form of taxation trying to collect use tax is an impossible and expensive problem.
What entities are really trying to do is to RAISE the price of doing out-of-state transactions so expensive it is better to shop locally. Right now the taxless price is the only incentive to buy online.
any state could budget an audit department large enough to do
a significant number of unpaid internet purchases audits.
So are we to believe they will go after Joe Sixpack for the tax on
his Amazon purchases instead of some guy who owes them
hundreds of thousands (assuming the big crook isn't a
politician).
If a state want to collect taxes on internet purchases, imo, the
only way they are going to collect it is to agree with the 49 other
bloodsuckers on a fixed rate that can be charged by the online
company. (and how often can the greedy 50 agree on anything?)
Until they do, to quote another poster they can "pound sand".
any state could budget an audit department large enough to do
a significant number of unpaid internet purchases audits.
So are we to believe they will go after Joe Sixpack for the tax on
his Amazon purchases instead of some guy who owes them
hundreds of thousands (assuming the big crook isn't a
politician).
If a state want to collect taxes on internet purchases, imo, the
only way they are going to collect it is to agree with the 49 other
bloodsuckers on a fixed rate that can be charged by the online
company. (and how often can the greedy 50 agree on anything?)
Until they do, to quote another poster they can "pound sand".
Would it?
Would it?
I am already nearly at 50% of my income before deducting health insurance, disability insurance, car insurance etc. and I never use any of it.
I live off of about 30% of my income, it helps to be able to buy some things cheaper from the Internet but after adding Item + shipping + TAX there goes that idea.
The middle class in the US are just tax slaves to to the "Team America World Police".
But I see your point. Actually I think this whole "tax" thing needs to be redefined. A tax is something they impose on you just because they can. The world used in spanish for tax tells this very clearly: "impuesto" (which literally means imposed).
When you pay for a product or service, you chose to buy it because you agree with the price/benefit relationship. When you pay your taxes it is because someone with guns tells you to do it. And they tell you how much to pay, when and how. And they don't actually have to give you something in return (sometimes they do, sometimes they don't).
The "tax" blanket should be replaced by several differentiated rational concepts charged by the state: concepts in categories such as service fees, regulatory charges, social contributions, usage of common resources, etc. For each one you should be able to relate what you are getting in return so as to decide if it is a fair charge or not. You would still bot be able to do much about it (except during the next voting season) but at least you could have a rational base for complaining. As it is today, it is just a meaningless number that says how much you "owe" them.
I am already nearly at 50% of my income before deducting health insurance, disability insurance, car insurance etc. and I never use any of it.
I live off of about 30% of my income, it helps to be able to buy some things cheaper from the Internet but after adding Item + shipping + TAX there goes that idea.
The middle class in the US are just tax slaves to to the "Team America World Police".
But I see your point. Actually I think this whole "tax" thing needs to be redefined. A tax is something they impose on you just because they can. The world used in spanish for tax tells this very clearly: "impuesto" (which literally means imposed).
When you pay for a product or service, you chose to buy it because you agree with the price/benefit relationship. When you pay your taxes it is because someone with guns tells you to do it. And they tell you how much to pay, when and how. And they don't actually have to give you something in return (sometimes they do, sometimes they don't).
The "tax" blanket should be replaced by several differentiated rational concepts charged by the state: concepts in categories such as service fees, regulatory charges, social contributions, usage of common resources, etc. For each one you should be able to relate what you are getting in return so as to decide if it is a fair charge or not. You would still bot be able to do much about it (except during the next voting season) but at least you could have a rational base for complaining. As it is today, it is just a meaningless number that says how much you "owe" them.
are an online retailer, say goodbye. Customers are better off paying the higher price from the standard brick and mortar store down the street along with the local sales tax.
Internet sellers who charge high shipping fees will need to come up with better answers. Some have already. Some don't charge shipping at all, or, more accurately, include it in the purchase price (TANSTAAFL!). Others offer options to ship it to a local retailer for no charge, where you may then pick it up.
These companies, IMHO, will do okay versus brick/mortar points of sale even if state sales/use taxes are collected. I say this because they usually offer a better selection (both by carrying a broader product line, and by offering complete size/color selections).
mark d.
are an online retailer, say goodbye. Customers are better off paying the higher price from the standard brick and mortar store down the street along with the local sales tax.
Internet sellers who charge high shipping fees will need to come up with better answers. Some have already. Some don't charge shipping at all, or, more accurately, include it in the purchase price (TANSTAAFL!). Others offer options to ship it to a local retailer for no charge, where you may then pick it up.
These companies, IMHO, will do okay versus brick/mortar points of sale even if state sales/use taxes are collected. I say this because they usually offer a better selection (both by carrying a broader product line, and by offering complete size/color selections).
mark d.
http://www.fairtax.org/
http://www.fairtax.org/
What it really is for a private individual is a second tax. You see, corps dont pay any tax on income until it is disposed of while individuals get taxed for the income itself and its disposal. A double tax. It sucks. It's unfair. But since when did that ever stop any govt entity from gouging more out of the unwilling masses?
- What it really is
- by R Me April 13, 2006 9:00 AM PDT
- Use tax is an import tax, nothing nore nothing less. States expect you to pay to import items into their state for personal use. It's an off-shoot of what was originally charged to business' for massive purchases of equipment bought out-of-state to skirt what would be a huge sales tax add-on if it were purchased in-state.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
Showing 2 of 4 pages (106 Comments)What it really is for a private individual is a second tax. You see, corps dont pay any tax on income until it is disposed of while individuals get taxed for the income itself and its disposal. A double tax. It sucks. It's unfair. But since when did that ever stop any govt entity from gouging more out of the unwilling masses?