posted on December 22, 2000 05:41:56 PM new
I think that was inevitable eventually, but it sure sucks. I hope they take a long time getting their acts together on this one.
posted on December 22, 2000 11:20:24 PM new
The ones who will REALLY be hurt by this are the sellers. Buyers ALREADY take shipping costs into account when they decide how much they'll pay for an online item (and now shipping is going up). If they also have to pay sales tax on top of that, they'll just reduce the amount of their bid (or of the price they're willing to pay, if buying a fixed-price item).
I hope Congress blocks it from happening by extending the moratorium on internet taxation.
posted on December 23, 2000 05:27:27 AM new
I had a big old knock down drag out with our state sales tax man over this same thing. He tried to tell me I needed to collect sales tax on selling my vintage magazines (from my own collection) and I promptly told him then they needed to be collecting sales tax from every granny running a yard sale! He said as long as yard sale was on their own property, they didn't need to collect. Told him my ebay auctions ARE on my own property! Also plenty of yard sales set up in closed gas stations and convenience stores. He then told me as long as I was selling my own collection of stuff I didn't need to collect sales tax on it. (Should have recorded that conversation!)
posted on December 23, 2000 06:05:27 AM new
One of my wholesalers told us that Alabama had just passed a law that any one living in Alabama had to report items purchased out of state and pay sales tax on it.
What a hoot! Who in the world would remember all they purchased out of state, and who is going to report it, and more so, how in the heck can the State enforce such a stupid law?
The state might be able to if one were purchasing from a large company, but when purchasing from an individual on line, there is no way they can track these purchases. Really STUPID!
posted on December 23, 2000 06:21:29 AM new
In theory, isn't that what buyers are already supposed to do? I've seen it written in a few pubs that if a buyer buys something from out of state, he/she is supposed to report and pay any taxes applicable to them. Like that's going to happen!
posted on December 23, 2000 07:05:40 AM new
It's inevitable that the states or federal government will figure out some way to tax internet sales. States are losing big time on sales tax not collected. Although I'm sure EVERYONE on this board reports their taxes correctly, I know of several people who sell on the internet that neither claim income nor collect or pay sales tax for sales within our state.
So in the meantime, property taxes have risen, state sales tax went up another percentage, gas tax rose, probably several other taxes. The states need the support somehow.
And whenever people scream about the rise in taxes, even an internet sales tax, remember your potholes, the condition of your schools and other services we all take for granted and enjoy. It's not all for welfare payments and special grants.
posted on December 23, 2000 02:35:08 PM new
Many countys and states in the US are in the process of trying to get rid of there sales taxes on may or most purchases some are even trying to eleliminate state income taxes I think any new taxes like this will be paid in claims yearly for purchases made just like income tax claims.
many countys in NY have done away with tax on clothing purchases up to like $600 in any one store at a time this includes shoes so only tax they are paying is the 4% NYS sales tax which the state is looking to end on clothing soon. in fact NY was looking to do away with taxes on most services people pay for an effect of this is that since 1995 they stopped taxing you when you pay for your ISP service I start on the Internet in mid 1993 and since 95 have paid no sales tax on internet service.
Though with this slow down I think you will see goverment Hold off on taxing internet purchases.
and I think when these taxes start getting collected accross state lines you will find buyers will be the ones keeping track of there out of state mail order purchases not merchants a mail order business could be dealing with millions of buyer from all states many millions of people would be able to keep track of there buying far better then the one merchant the cost to companys to keep this type of record would be very steep talk about inflation if merchants and not buyer had to keep this type of record it would add many millions of dollars to cost of doing business and prices would incress big time for big companys and little ones.
posted on December 23, 2000 04:57:34 PM new
Actually, the latest weve is for voters to approve a sales tax in order to do away with or lower property taxes.
Voters in the county in which I live approved a penny sales tax two years ago and no longer pay county property tax on our homes. (We do pay school taxes and general obligation bonds.) My property taxes fell $900 last year. That's a pretty good incentive to vote "yes" for a sales tax hike.
Other counties are following suit and allowing voters to decide.
posted on December 24, 2000 10:26:25 AM new
1. In most, if not all states, granny's yard sale is required to pay state sales taxes. Even an individual selling a CD to a friend for $5. Except for exempt classes of merchandise (e.g. food and drugs), in most states, all sales are taxable, and seller must pay the tax.
2. In most, if not all states, residents who buy mail order from other states are required by law to pay some tax which is equal to the sales tax.
The fact that both of these are very difficult to enforce and not often enforced doesn't change the law.
