Slashdot Mirror
New U.S. Sales Tax Regime For Internet Sellers?
morganew writes "As reported last week on Slashdot, States are pushing for new sales tax rules that would force Internet sellers to collect taxes for up to 7500 jurisdictions. Legislation has been introduced. The House Judiciary Committee held hearings today; here's CNet news on the bill, and here's a report (PDF link) on what it could mean to internet sellers."
After all, the government invented the business where I make my living (software engineering) and built the infrastructure to make it possible. I don't want to start paying for that all out of my own pocket. The more taxes the better I say.
The main reason all the states are in such a budget crunch (last time I checked, something like *5* states are still in the black) is that the Feds have been imposing Unfunded Mandates on them left and right. You know how we all snickered whenever the Rainbow Wheel of Terror got raised to Orange or Mauve or Oh Shitium or whatever? The state governments weren't laughing - every time that happened cost them millions per day. (depending, of course, on the size of the state) And they didn't see a penny from the Feds to help pay.
So when Bush announced his tax cuts, that virtually doomed the states. Either they raise taxes themselves, or they go bankrupt. (or, even worse, they lay off workers when unemployment is already rising universally) Fiscally, it was unimaginably bad. The money "budgeted" for the tax cuts should have been sent to the states to keep their economies stable, since for the most part it was Federal demands that were breaking them. But it didn't happen.
And it continues to not happen, as Bush pushes to send another $87 billion out of the country and into Iraq. Much of that WILL go into Halliburton coffers thanks to the contracts they have with the Feds. While, in the meantime, the States end up having to be the Evil Statist Trolls that are forced to raise taxes. (also not a good thing if the economy is struggling).
This is a particularly bad thing, though, because it's going to seriously hurt eCommerce. They're turning their guns on a particularly fragile chunk of the economy. Damage done now will take a long time to undo, if ever. They should be a bit more smart in raising taxes - like incremental increases in sales tax or income tax.
Another bad idea being done badly.
Bush: He's Liberal in all the wrong ways.
Read it. Memorize it. Quit whining. To claim that sales tax is the death knell for eCommerce is pure, complete, and utter bullshit. Just pay your fucking taxes, you goddamn moochers.
Don't forget that 87 Billion will go to the friends and business associates of the current administration. I sort of wish they had skipped the war and just transfered the money directly to Bechtel and the others.
It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
What? If I am not mistaken Canada has a double digit sales (goods and services) tax rate and one of the highest income tax schedule in the world.