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Why Internet Sales Tax Suck
Congress weighs ban on Net taxes
Rep. Chris Cox, R-Calif., and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a bill called the Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act, renewing their efforts to transform what is currently a moratorium on Internet sales taxes into an outright ban.
Or they can tax only the profits of the dot coms.
I mean Amazon is big but online sales are not really large enough to make a big dent into the economy as a whole. Under 3% if memory serves.
The problem with legislation like this is that the real effects of having this or not having this will be seen in the future so what is passed today will not have significant impact until five years or so when I buy an Xbox2 in 2006 it would suck to have to pay both shipping AND sales tax. I mean there are a lot of other sales tax loopholes on the books and BBQ still has an Oregon drivers license so he can claim tax exemption when buying large items.
Or I an drive over to the Bangor PX and it is 100% tax exempt baby!
I also saw today that Dell will be creating stores like Apple and Gateway so once a Dell store opens up in Washington the computers ordered from them by mail order will be taxed under Washington law. I do not order from Amazon.com and the main reason for this is because I would have to pay both Sales tax AND shipping.
Update: Speaking of organized crime and tax evasion it is 1/13/03 4:24:28 PM and Ken Lay is STILL a free man.
Jake at January 13, 2003 
WebDev
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actually, anything you buy that doesn't get sales tax charged you are supposed to pay "use tax" on. I don't see this getting enforced lately, but it's on the books!
http://dor.wa.gov/content/faqs/faqs_Sls_UsTx.asp#sut13
"Use tax is a compensating tax owed when retail sales tax was due, but was not paid at the time of sale. This can occur when items are purchased by mail or over the Internet and the out-of state business is not registered to collect sales tax, or when you purchase items while outside of Washington and pay either no sales tax or a sales tax rate lower than Washington's. Gifts are subject to use tax when the donor has not paid the sales tax."
Posted by: Anita Rowland at January 13, 2003 4:15 PM
And people don't think the IRS has a sense of humor. Then again they got Al Capone on tax evasion charges.
Speaking of organized crime it is1/13/03 4:24:20 PM and Ken Lay is STILL a free man.
Posted by: Jake at January 13, 2003 4:25 PM
You wont get busted too bad for tax evasion if you can pay for a $1000 per hour attorney.
Posted by: PETER PETER THE METER READER at January 13, 2003 6:04 PM
Did you know that Al Capones lawyer "easy eddie" O'Hare had a son that was a WW2 fighter "ace" who had Chicago's O'Hare airport named after him?
Posted by: PETER PETER THE METER READER at January 13, 2003 6:11 PM
