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Online Cigarette Customers Get Bill from State

Posted by Zonk on from the kind-of-defeats-the-purpose dept.

wakebrdr writes "The Michigan Treasury Department has sent bills to state residents who purchased cigarettes online to avoid Michigan's high taxes. One pack-a-day smoker received a bill for $2,500 in back taxes. If a simple subpoena of customer data allows them to easily go after lost cigarette taxes, how long until state treasuries across the country subpoena Amazon.com or other big online retailers to collect unpaid sales taxes?"

5 of 856 comments (clear)

  1. This is why by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    I only buy from the red injuns. They no trust the white man.

  2. Violation of Smokers' Rights by bigtallmofo · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Smokers have the right to purchase cancer-causing tobacco sticks at a low price, light those cancer-causing tobacco sticks on fire anywhere they want to, raise the cost of health care for everyone, cause cancer in people that are affected by their second-hand smoke, and shirk taxes that have been levied on products they purchase.

    I think that pretty much sums up the average smoker's opinion.

    --
    I'm a big tall mofo.
    1. Re:Violation of Smokers' Rights by paganizer · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      Well, actually as a Ex-smoker I can't get it completely right, but I think it goes more like this:
      It's my body. I can do what I want with it. I'll abide reasonable restrictions on where I smoke, so as to not endanger the sensibilities of people who are picky about such things.
      If the government is allowed to pollute the air my kids breath, then I am allowed to pollute the air their kids breath. I'll stop when they do.
      I'll stop complaining about high tobacco taxes when they tax everything equally, instead of picking on me.
      My health care may cost the government more when I'm older. since I pay income tax, and I'm a citizen, it's my money anyway. stop whining.

      --
      Why, yes, I AM a Pagan Libertarian.
  3. *points* Ha-ha! by Rod+Beauvex · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Stupid fuckers, that's what you get for smoking!

  4. Get the Target Off of My Back by vudujava · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    Personally I'm tired of being targeted by state lawmakers. If there are economic problems they turn to me, the smoker. They say it's because I cause health care costs to skyrocket. I say bullshit. I say that obesity is a bigger problem and you need to put a $2.00 tax on a bottle of Mountain Dew and a $5.00 tax on a Big Mac so these fat fucks can pay for their part of rising health care costs.

    While we're at it, I want to see $5.00 per gallon state tax on gasoline.

    I buy my smokes overseas. Fuck the State of Michigan and fuck Jenny Granholm in the ass. I'm not going to keep paying for your fiscal irresponsibility.

    --

    Word Axis