Mountain_Annie Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Just got this in from Ted Cohen, Ebay's VP of Government Relations, and was asked to help spread the word. It's inSANE!(Quote) Internet Sales Taxes - Right now in Congress, lawmakers are considering sales tax legislation that would require consumers to pay sales tax on everything they buy via the Internet, from retailers anywhere in the U.S. - not just from retailers in their own state. This would also present a significant burden for small sellers, who would be required to collect and remit sales taxes to up to 7,500 different taxing jurisdictions.Please write to your lawmakers today!More:Internet Sales Taxes--Your costs go up. Your buyers' costs go up. You are required to comply with the same tax laws as the nation's largest retailers. This scenario could soon become reality.The sales tax laws governing today's Internet and catalog retailers are simple: If you sell something to a person living in your state, you collect sales tax. If that customer doesn't live in your state, you don't collect the tax. However, a number of state governments and the biggest retail giants in America are planning an aggressive lobbying campaign to change the law. They want to require small retailers to operate like the biggest retail chains, collecting taxes everywhere.We all know times are tough and state governments are looking for more tax money. Likewise, big retailers see an opportunity to gain a competitive edge by imposing new costs and higher prices on their smallest competitors. Luckily, the tax ground-rules can't be changed without congressional action. There's still time to stand up and be counted. If you think adding a new tax burden on small Internet retailers is a bad idea, now is the time to make your voice heard! Send a letter to your U.S. Representative and Senators today.http://www.ebaymainstreet.com/takeaction/tell-congress-not-impose-new-taxes-internetIt won't be easy. But together, Internet retailers like you can stop these new taxes.Sincerely,Tod CohenVP and Deputy General Counsel, Government Relations (End Quote)=====================~Mt Annie~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgirl Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 What a PITA this will be if it goes thru..If they feel that the Use tax is not working, and need to implement sales tax, I would think it would be so much easier just to pay the states sales tax on the item to the state that you are purchasing the product in. Tying to figure out every states Sales Tax will be nuts.. Way to much paper work too!!! Hmmm - Maybe we should pass this idea to Congress since they can't seem to make things easy anymore...ETS: We all knew it would be a matter of time before this crap happened... UUUGGGHHHH!!! It will take awhile for it to happen.. But here is some more info I found...http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2009-01-12-online-sales-taxes_N.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain_Annie Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Yeap...It looks as if the government will do anything...and I do mean ANYthing...to bail out their own a**es !! :mad: :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendyByTheBay Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Well I guess this was to be expected sooner or later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain_Annie Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 The big dogs will be pulling for this too since it gives them more of a chance to knock the little dogs out of business. ~Mt Annie~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 This has been discussed time and time again. And that's not the way it would work. The buyer would be assessed sales tax based on the point of purchase, that being the seller's location. At least that's the way I understand it.I think it would be more likely that a totally new and separate tax would be assessed, that being a simple formula for internet sales; i.e., 10% or whatever.Look for it to happen. Any time certain people can instigate a tax levy, you can bet they will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 More taxes. Of course!! I'll zip it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Di_in_AZ Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Actually this is not knew and in some states you are expected to pay a "use tax" and declare this on your own--in AZ, for example. No one does and they don't have a method to track it so it ends there most times. I did claim "use tax" on my larger purchases (equipment not supplies) because I was depreciating them and claiming them as deductions so having to keep those receipts for my taxes I paid the use tax in case I was audited. From time to time Department of Revenue would send me questionnaires asking me about internet purchases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Leave it to the government to stick their hand out again but hey with big business sticking there hand out to the government what can you expect. It is always the little guy that does the paying.I went to ebay and sign up for their petition thing that they had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain_Annie Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 This has been discussed time and time again. And that's not the way it would work. I don't know. I'm no expert. I'm just passing along the info but I would ASSUME that the VP of Gov Relations would know what he was talking about. :smiley2: You say that its been discussed time and time again. Has this been on the CT board? If so, I completely missed it and ...evidently....so did a lot of others who replied here. :smiley2: Do you have a link to the discussions? I'd love to read more. The reasons I posted the msg was (1) to let everyone know about it of course and (2) so that they would have a link to try and DO something about it if they chose to do so. To let their voices be heard. If we don't speak up...nobody will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverSoyed Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I am all for a consumption tax. This would solve so many problems.Everyone buys stuff.... toilet paper, food, clothing... you name it. If everyone is taxed equally based on consumption of goods, no one is getting out of their tax burden.It also solves the problem of illegal immigrants who don't pay taxes.I believe it would also cut down on wasteful spending. We all have things we buy on impulse just for the sake of spending money. Add an extra 10% onto it, and you'd rethink buying that case of disposal razors at CostCo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I am all for a consumption tax. This would solve so many problems.Everyone buys stuff.... toilet paper, food, clothing... you name it. If everyone is taxed equally based on consumption of goods, no one is getting out of their tax burden.It also solves the problem of illegal immigrants who don't pay taxes.I believe it would also cut down on wasteful spending. We all have things we buy on impulse just for the sake of spending money. Add an extra 10% onto it, and you'd rethink buying that case of disposal razors at CostCo.ah yes. of course you are.I'd like to assume you are kidding. but I won't kid myself.did you ever think that poor people, low income folk, use the same amount of toilet paper as rich folk - yet the economic sting of a tax on that would be much greater on the poor folk? so they AREN'T getting taxed equally. it's math - add it up for yourself.and by the way, sales taxes already in place are consumption taxes. there's a reason they aren't put on many necessary items (or perhaps you don't think TP is necessary... and that it's a personal choice) is because they unfairly would burden the less fortunate - whereas on more "luxury" items there IS more choice involved.and it'd have no impact on illegal immigration - THAT math makes no sense at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverSoyed Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 The sales taxes on "necessary" items vary from state to state.I.E. Taxes on clothing. In OH, they are taxed, PA they are not. So what happens? The people 20-30 miles from the PA/OH border come into PA to get their clothes to save the 6-7% sales tax. It's the same reason many people shop online. To save on the sales tax. However, if the sales taxes were equal everywhere, state by state, and online, the tax revenues collected within the states would be made available for the use within the states, and there would be no need to leave the state, and/or have any loses from people shopping online.It's all the same idea of having a fair equal income tax. If everyone paid their fair share, we'd be better off. But the wealthiest 10% have the money to find the loopholes in the system and get out of their fair share. ah yes. of course you are.I'd like to assume you are kidding. but I won't kid myself.did you ever think that poor people, low income folk, use the same amount of toilet paper as rich folk - yet the economic sting of a tax on that would be much greater on the poor folk? so they AREN'T getting taxed equally. it's math - add it up for yourself.and by the way, sales taxes already in place are consumption taxes. there's a reason they aren't put on many necessary items (or perhaps you don't think TP is necessary... and that it's a personal choice) is because they unfairly would burden the less fortunate - whereas on more "luxury" items there IS more choice involved.and it'd have no impact on illegal immigration - THAT math makes no sense at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 you clearly don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverSoyed Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 you clearly don't get it.Since you are so knowledgeable on the topic, what is your solution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcrafter Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 This sounds like the ex-husband. He'd mess up and then point fingers all over scrambling to find someone else to pin the blame on so he'd never have to take any responsibility for his own actions.The government has screwed up royally that past few years, just take a look at the economy and the unemployment rate. They want us little people to shoulder the responsibility of their money mistakes by scrambling to grab whatever money they can. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcitysue Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 The government has been considering this for a couple years, but it seems that it will inevitably pass in some form or another. Here is the problem for small business owners (like many of us here) -- we will have to comply with the sales tax rules of all the States (and even counties in some cases) that we ship an item to not just our own state. Example: I ship a bar of soap to New York City. I will have to know the state sales tax, if there are any city/county/stadium/etc taxes for the particular city I ship to. I would then have to remit the sales tax to New York. You would have to do this for each and every online order. Can you just imagine the paperwork nightmare? If it was just all online orders would be subject to the seller's state sales tax, that would be one thing. I think I could get behind that even. The current proposals are not like this, however.~Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapmom25 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 why wouldn't they just have us all collect the tax for the area WE are in, just as if we were a retail store? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Di_in_AZ Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 The transaction is considered to be subject where the sale is--and most states consider that where the customer is. At least it is in AZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'd be curious on this too, as I live in a no sales tax state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgirl Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 They should just do a flat internet tax.. It would make it so much easier on everyone ..:rolleyes2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ring of Fire Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 They have been trying to figure out how to tax goods sold on ebay practically since it's existence. This would definitely take them down as well as the places like it. Sounds like this is a long way from happening though. I am not sure sellers want to claim their earnings from Ebay either which would be down the road as well. Something else the government has had it's eye for a while. I know you are supposed to do this anyway, but I doubt many, if any, do.I wouldn't buy a thing online if that were to happen. What would be the point? Unless free shipping is offered, no way. I guess for the exception of supplies....I mean from Amazon etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 They should just do a flat internet tax.. It would make it so much easier on everyone ..:rolleyes2I disagree. It would be easier on everyone if the crooks would give up trying to rob us even more than they already do. I know I'm just a ray of sunshine for saying this, but I absolutely loathe the !@#%^ federal government.Do you think they would tax shipping? If not...... sell an item for .01 cent and then.......... :whistle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverSoyed Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Why would you feel robbed? You wouldn't be paying the additional tax, the customers would.You are already obligated to correct sales tax for online customers who reside in your state. As for those saying "what's the point of shopping online" if it is implemented... it's the convenience. Busy people don't always have the option of running out to the store for so and so product. You also have a larger selection online.There are only two thing guaranteed in life... death and taxes. At least with taxes, there is the possibility of the extra money being used for some good purpose.:tiptoe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 OverSoyed, I don't sell. Therefore every time I buy from some of you, I'd have to pay. And if your customers are having to pay more the chances are good they're going to buy less, therefore hurting all of you who sale. And it doesn't matter who has to pay; they already rob all of us of far too much. Also I'd rather decide for myself what good purposes I want my money going to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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