Seattle's Media Whores Want Internet Sales Tax

[JailForBush]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/156443_interneted.html

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Time to collect Internet sales tax

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD

"The advent of the Internet has meant rethinking and reworking institutions -- including the methods used to collect sales taxes.

"The Legislature has an opportunity to begin that process. The Streamlined Sales Tax system would help governments collect taxes for online retail sales, a phenomenon costing billions in lost revenue. . . .

"But it could be a double-edged sword for local governments with large retail tax bases. If a shopper were to buy a computer in Kent and have it delivered to her Medina home, the sales tax would be credited to Medina, not Kent.

"But the greater risk is the increasing loss because of out-of-state Internet sales. They deliver a double whammy. They cost local governments taxes and cost local merchants business."

Yeah, right. I with the corporate pimps at the Seattle P-I worried about all the money Microsoft, Boeing and Paul Allen screw us out of.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Every time this comes up...

I mention that catalogue mail-order sales are 10 times or so what internet sales are, and the arguments for and against mail order sales taxes have been going on for years before the internet was even dreamed of.

So why is this tail wagging this dog?

[Kanary]

3. Glad you mentioned this

It has always amazed me that this has not been part of the discussion when this comes up. Why is it different?

Kanary

[Gysgt213]

2. It infuriates me that governments think that they are entitled to tax

everything on the planet. You add in all the user fees and other creative ways all local, state and federal governments find to get a cut of the deal and the taxes we pay are out of this world. I will bet you a dollar to a dougnut that 6 months after internet taxes are the law of the land, every state and the federal government will seek to raise them. This is despite the fact that they will be receiving extra money they haven't counted on. It is a lie to suggest that governments are not receiving any tax money off the money spent on the internet. Where does the money come from that consumers spend on the internet? From money that's already been taxed several times before the consumers spend it. Also they are receiving tax money off of shipping fees. Some people only buy off the internet because there are no taxes and often even with shipping it's cheaper. However, what would be the incentive to buy of the internet if there are taxes plus shipping fees?