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Not Just Apple, How Microsoft Sidestepped Billions In State Taxes
reifman writes "Apple's not the only company to save billions in taxes through Nevada as The New York Times reported yesterday. Here's how Microsoft's saved $4.37 billion in tax payments to Washington State and how it's led indirectly to $4 billion in K-12 and Higher Education cuts since 2008. 18% of University of Washington freshman are now foreigners (because they pay more) up from 2% six years ago. Washington State ranks 47th nationally in 18-24 yo college enrollment and 48th in K-12 class size. This hasn't stopped the architect of the company's Nevada tax dodge from writing in The Seattle Times: 'it's [Washington] state's paramount duty to provide for the public education of all children. Unfortunately, steady declines in public resources now threaten our ability to live up to that commitment.' Yes, indeed."
Glad to hear that Microsoft is employing competent accountants.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
I am appalled that Microsoft is to blame for the current state of our university. The constant budget cuts are hitting the Engineering department the hardest, especially Computer Science & Engineering. Demand for the major has steadily increased, and yet the number of students able to be admitted has largely stayed the same for years. As it stands, nearly 50% of persons who are already in the University are rejected from the engineering departments, for the CS major it's closer to 70-80% rejection. Considering our UW is right across the lake from Microsoft and yet they continue to exercise such dodgy and harmful tax practices tells me where their true priorities lie.
What's the problem? Why do you point fingers at others whenever something negative is being said about Apple. You keep going on about how Apple is better than other companies. Act like it.
We have the highest corporate taxes in the world. Without the loopholes most US companies would leave the country or go broke.
Who wants skyrocketing unemployment and a further collapse in the US tax base?
Don't be stupid. Don't drive these companies away.
I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
If the people really want all of the things that the governments offer them, why don't they want to pay for them?
Why not just make all of these systems voluntary, if people really want them, they'll pay into the system.
Oh right, I forgot, the majority of the population wants to force a minority of the population to pay for things they want at threat of violence against them. Right.
As long as teachers are paid with tax and/or fake inflation money, the people who pay these taxes should be against them.
You can't handle the truth.
And you would be completely wrong, B&M is just a way to outsource some marketing from Microsoft to a tax exemption device, and do some arm twisting exchanging some bribes for friendly IP policies in developing countries.
Moreover the cooperation of the foundation with monsanto will probably kill more farmer than any vacine could ever save.
Government are far from efficient, but at least they do somehow stem from they will of the people, and if you have not been able to elect non jerks in the past 200 years is not an excuse for "delegating" the use of collective money to a con person like mr Gate.
Moreoever although MS pays very little tax, and therefore it has very little opportunity to do any good, the level of cash siphoned by a small group of ethically challenged thieves does not bode well for your evil vs good calculation.