Well, isn’t this some muthafricking bullhockey. The NY legislators approved a statewide sales tax last week that requires online retailers to collect tax for purchases shipped to the state. That includes online retailers that have no physical existence in the state. NY Governor David Paterson is expected to sign off on this.
“This is a first step — but a critical one — in our ongoing battle to level the sales tax playing field between New York retailers and the out-of-state Internet giants that have, for years, capitalized on an unfair and unintended competitive advantage driven solely by tax policy,” James Sherin, president CEO of the Retail Council New York, said in a statement reacting to the bill’s passage.
Wait- Does NY have authority over out-of-state companies? It doesn’t seem like they should be able to do this.
It would never occur to NY that maybe the way to level the playing field is to remove the sales tax on in state sales.
Based on the the following document it appears that sales tax makes up about 10% if New York State’s tax income. While eliminating sales tax is certainly the more sensible way to level the economic playing field, it would be financially devstating to the state.
http://assembly.state.ny.us/comm/WAM/2007RevRep/2007revrep.pdf
In CA we are “supposed” to pay tax on any items we buy online/out of state when we file our state taxes.
California Use Tax. Been around since 1935 or so. Been a line item on state tax forms since 2003.
Sick o’ taxes. Taxed when you make money. Taxed when you spend money. Taxed when you give money away. Taxed when you inherit money (which was already taxed when folks earned it). Taxed on property you bought every year after you buy it (car, home, land).
Taxity-Tax-Tax. Tax Tax.
For what it’s worth, I buy a lot of corp gear from CDW in Jersey. They charge us our CA State tax now… At least the bean counters don’t have to remit that. Unless they aren’t savvy, then they remit twice!