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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?"

13 of 856 comments (clear)

  1. We're doomed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    if they decide to tax porn...

    1. Re:We're doomed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually, we could probably eliminate the income tax and the IRS. :)

    2. Re:We're doomed... by bsharitt · · Score: 3, Funny

      Who here is actually going to pay for online porn?

    3. Re:We're doomed... by crunk · · Score: 2, Funny

      Doomed? Congrats, you just solved the social security crisis.

      --
      It's the battle of the minds, and everyone's unarmed.
    4. Re:We're doomed... by ceeam · · Score: 5, Funny

      Those who pay for slashdot? : )

      [Remember folks - asterisk after one's UID marks a paying subscriber]

    5. Re:We're doomed... by bob670 · · Score: 2, Funny

      My grandpa always said "Why buy the cow if you can get the sex for free?". Of course, grampa Ballmer died frightened and alone with his only child Steve. He was sooo proud when Steve got in to Harvard, first half-man/half-bovine to complete the admission process.

  2. How long? by Binestar · · Score: 5, Funny

    how long until state treasuries across the country subpoena Amazon.com or other big online retailers to collect unpaid sales taxes?

    18 months. You heard it here.

    --
    Do you Gentoo!?
    1. Re:How long? by gosand · · Score: 2, Funny
      Naaaah. Smokes are just low hanging juicy fruit that people think is bad so it's okay to take said juicy, juicy fruit. Mmmmmmm....taxes.

      What a missed opportunity at a Simpson's reference. Mmmm.... low hanging juicy fruit.

      --

      My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

  3. Of course not! by serith · · Score: 4, Funny

    State - Did you make any online purchases this year? You - *fills in no whilst using your new uber computer you just dropped a few K on from newegg...*

  4. Yeesh, what a complicated system! by Jack+Taylor · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thank goodness all you have to do in the U.K. to avoid paying tax on something is to buy it abroad and hide it under your hat while going through customs...

    --
    One good turn - gets all the covers.
  5. Re:Violation of Smokers' Rights by Binestar · · Score: 2, Funny

    they dont cause cancer, they reduce the immune systems ability to fight it off.

    Getting shot in the head doesn't kill you, it reduces your body's ability to keep your brains inside your skull.

    --
    Do you Gentoo!?
  6. Re:Already pay taxes on Amazon... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Unfortunately, Amazon decided to put a warehouse in western Kansas, so now I get to pay taxes on all my Amazon purchases anyways. Has anyone else had similar bad luck??

    No, sorry - nobody else here is unfortunate enough to live in western Kansas

  7. Re:Can you say VAT by Mantorp · · Score: 2, Funny

    Harmonized Sales Tax
    I feel calmer just thinking about paying this.