Online Cigarette Customers Get Bill from State

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?"

Comments

Here's a copy of the bill

[Anonymous Coward]

Smokers. What a bunch of dumbasses. Each one of them deserves the Darwin tag. Paying to ruin your health -- nice job jagoffs.

*_g_o_a_t_s_e_x_*_g_o_a_t_s_e_x_*_g_o_a_t_s_e_x_*_
g_______________________________________________g_ _
o_/_____\_____________\____________/____\_______o_ _
a|_______|_____________\__________|______|______a_ _
t|_______`._____________|_________|_______:_____t_ _
s`________|_____________|________\|_______|_____s_ _
e_\_______|_/_______/__\\\___--___\\_______:____e_ _
x__\______\/____--~~__________~--__|_\_____|____x_ _
*___\______\_-~____________________~-_\____|____*_ _
g____\______\_________.--------.______\|___|____g_ _
o______\_____\______//_________(_(__>__\___|____o_ _
a_______\___.__C____)_________(_(____>__|__/____a_ _
t_______/\_|___C_____)/_PAY__\_(_____>__|_/_____t_ _
s______/_/\|___C_____)___UP__|__(___>___/__\____s_ _
e_____|___(____C_____)\BITCHES__//__/_/_____\___e_ _
x_____|____\__|_____\\_________//_(__/_______|__x_ _
*____|_\____\____)___`----___--'_____________|__*_ _
g____|__\______________\_______/____________/_|_g_ _
o___|______________/____|_____|__\____________|_o_ _
a___|_____________|____/_______\__\___________|_a_ _
t___|__________/_/____|_________|__\___________|t_ _
s___|_________/_/______\__/\___/____|__________|s_ _
e__|_________/_/________|____|_______|_________|e_ _
x__|__________|_________|____|_______|_________|x_ _
*_g_o_a_t_s_e_x_*_g_o_a_t_s_e_x_*_g_o_a_t_s_e_x_*_

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Important Stuff: Please try to keep posts on topic. Try to reply to other people's comments instead of starting new threads. Read other people's messages before posting your own to avoid simply duplicating what has already been said. Use a clear subject that describes what your message is about. Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated. (You can read everything, even moderated posts, by adjusting your threshold on the User Preferences Page) If you want replies to your comments sent to you, consider logging in or creating an account.

Important Stuff: Please try to keep posts on topic. Try to reply to other people's comments instead of starting new threads. Read other people's messages before posting your own to avoid simply duplicating what has already been said. Use a clear subject that describes what your message is about. Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated. (You can read everything, even moderated posts, by adjusting your threshold on the User Preferences Page) If you want replies to your comments sent to you, consider logging in or creating an account.

Re:Violation of Smokers' Rights

[Anonymous Coward]

Go read the the clinical studies in regards to second hand smoke. By read, I don't mean read a press release or rubbish by TRUTH.

If that sounds like a little too much text for you, then what's your sources for this information? TV commertials? What you were tought in health class?

Is the cost of health care directly proportional to the amount of smokers? Last time I checked, smoking was going down, not to mention the number of places you can smoke, yet health care keeps going up and up.

Re:Violation of Smokers' Rights

[SpacePunk]

>In Europe we pay premium taxes for alcoholic beverages. Also, my drinking doesn't affect your liver, does it?

Drinking affects livers and the bodies of the drinker in a negative way. When that health care bill comes around it raises insurance and direct health care costs for everyone. Alcohol also causes people to have 'accidents' (industrial and vehicular) that cause harm to others.

>My eating burgers doesn't raise your cholesterol level. Also, unlike tobacco, food actually helps keep me alive.

It costs more to treat your fat ass for medical conditions than to treat someone that eats healthy foods.

Re:Violation of Smokers' Rights

[SpacePunk]

Way to not even get my point. It costs more to treat fat-asses and alcoholics. Your drinking/eating burgers affects health care costs. The only thing alcohol gives is bodily injury, the only thing your burgers give is artery blockage.

So, your saying that if you are driving under the influence of alcohol and pilot your vehicle into me then it hasn't had an impact on my health? Your saying that the health care costs you are going to incure because you ate high fat goods isn't going to raise health care costs?

Re:We're doomed...

[Chelloveck]

if they decide to tax porn...

Which is why I only look at underage kiddie porn. It's illegal, so they can't tax it!

Damn Mary-Kate and Ashley for getting old!