The Assault on the Internet Hums Along!!

[cousinlucky]

Amazon ( to its credit ) is fighting New York State in court. A part of the new N.Y. State budget is to force amazon and ebay and all others to collect taxes for New York on everything bought through the Internet by New York citizens.

This is a massive disaster in the works.

Amazon.com Sues To Stop N.Y. Tax | The New York Sun

If Amazon loses this suit you can bet that other political entities will soon be creating ways to bilk the users of the Internet for all that they can get out of them!!!

[Oxygen]

It's going to the dogs...

Anybody fancy creating our own internet?

[cousinlucky]

Is such a thing possible?

If I were running Amazon or Ebay I would refuse to be involved with collecting " taxes " for anyone. I think that, in the future, these companies will just refuse to allow any on-line buying or selling transactions from the State of New York to be processed through their websites.

[Oxygen]

That's a good idea... which means they'll completely ignore it and f*** as many people as possible.

[Freston]

?? I don't understand what the fuss is about ??

Here in the Netherlands, and I take it in the entire EU, we already pay taxes on online purchases. You pay taxes on every purchase, I don't see why an online purchase should be an exception.

But it could be that because my salary is payed from the tax money that I'm a bit milder about people having to pay taxes

[cousinlucky]

In the U.S.A. every single state has a different tax code. In New York just about everything is taxed, even bottled water. In New Hampshire nothing is taxed.

If you have a physical store in New York you have to collect " sales " taxes and send them to the state. If I go to New Hampshire and buy things and then bring them back to New York I do not have to pay New York taxes on the purchases because I did not buy them in New York.

Collecting taxes for any government entity is a lot of work and bookkeeping as well as a stranglehold on business. Companies that do a lot of on-line business purposely avoid states like New York that are notorious for the collection and subsequent theft of " tax money ".

The state of New York can not legally " force " a New Hampshire company to collect money for the state of New York. If I purchase something online from a New Hampshire company and it is shipped to me why should I have to pay New York sales tax on that purchase if I bought it in New Hampshire.

The fastest way to drive a business out of town is with government overregulation. New York's tax code already drives it's citizens to New Jersey for gas, cigarettes, and clothing. Manhattan has many very thriving " bootleg " businesses because of the multi-layered city and state tax code.

It seems that the only reason that people run for public office in this state is so that they can pocket the tax money like everyone else.

[Freston]

Ah, ok... thanks for explaining that. I understand now. Hm... I guess I expected sales tax to be arranged on a national level, rather than on state level. Again, thanks for explaining.

[cousinlucky]

How are taxes collected on on-line purchases in Europe? Does the seller of the goods figure out what tax is due and add it to the price of the product before sending to you?

It would be interesting for me to understand how that could work in Europe.

[Jonathan183]

How are taxes collected on on-line purchases in Europe?

In the UK your shafted anyway ... VAT added to good at time of order. Duty also due on goods imported, strict limits on goods which you can physically bring back to the UK without paying duty (annual maximum rather than per trip).

[cousinlucky]

With all of the taxes imposed on a pack of cigarettes here in New York City, one pack sells for $7.50 at any store. Throughout New York City there are street vendors selling the most popular brands for $5.00 a pack. As with any illegal activity there are instances of violence over " area or spots " where these sellers of untaxed cigarettes conduct their business.

Tourists from all over the world go to Manhattan's Canal Street in " Chinatown " to purchase " knockoffs " of high priced designer goods and no sales tax is collected. These goods get here by boats which are way too numerous in number to be inspected properly.

All heavy duties and taxes really end up doing is to encourage the creation of various criminal enterprises intent on circumventing those duties and taxes. Ordinary law-abiding people are deluged here all of the time with the news of corrupt politicians stealing their tax money. At present the big story here is the millions of tax dollars members of the New York City Council have been " hiding " in the bank accounts of non-existant charities or so-called charities being run by friends and relatives. In such a climate ordinary people are meant to feel like fools for paying taxes.