Value-added: the tax increase that may fly

[mawilson 2,133]

There is actually a lawsuit against Amazon from the state of NC regarding this.

The Supreme Court ruled (twice) that states cannot require businesses to collect

sales tax unless the business has a physical presence in the state. Does Amazon

have any facilities or employees or call centers in NC? If they do, NC may have

a case.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

But you are supposed to declare it when you file your state return, at least in NY.

California, as well, for out of state purchases. They call it a "Use Tax". As a business owner, I have to make that declaration on my Sales Tax Return, everyone else makes the declaration on their State Income Tax Return. California does a much better job of collecting delinquent taxes, than does the Feds. Mess with Texas? Those steers ain't got no horns! The FTB and the BOE would whoop their asses!

[Ali G. 37]

The Supreme Court ruled (twice) that states cannot require businesses to collect

sales tax unless the business has a physical presence in the state. Does Amazon

have any facilities or employees or call centers in NC? If they do, NC may have

a case.

NC is demanding Amazon provide the details of any customer from their state that purchased something over the last x years.

[mawilson 2,133]

NC is demanding Amazon provide the details of any customer from their state that purchased something over the last x years.

Ah, I see. I think NC will lose this one.

[Texanadian 10]

I've wondered how we're supposed to claim sales tax here in Texas. There is no state income tax, hence no state income tax form to fill out.

Massachusetts got in a tizzy with New Hampshire awhile back. People from MA were going shopping in NH (no sales tax in NH) and thus MA was losing out on sales tax revenue. So they asked one of the tire shops in NH to charge MA sales tax to residents from MA and then send that sales tax money back to MA. It went to court and Massachusetts lost.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

everyone should pay their "fair share" - i.e. a flat tax.

That's what I would like to see - a flat income tax for any income over the existential minimum. No deductions, no exceptions. Ain't going to happen, however, because that would make those with ultra high incomes - from all sorts of sources - actually pay their fair share. They don't want to have that happen.

[DEDixon 39]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100422/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_tax/print

Obama suggests value-added tax may be an option

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama suggested Wednesday that a new value-added tax on Americans is still on the table, seeming to show more openness to the idea than his aides have expressed in recent days.

Before deciding what revenue options are best for dealing with the deficit and the economy, Obama said in an interview with CNBC, "I want to get a better picture of what our options are."

After Obama adviser Paul Volcker recently raised the prospect of a value-added tax, or VAT, the Senate voted 85-13 last week for a nonbinding "sense of the Senate" resolution that calls the such a tax "a massive tax increase that will cripple families on fixed income and only further push back America's economic recovery."

For days, White House spokesmen have said the president has not proposed and is not considering a VAT.

"I think I directly answered this the other day by saying that it wasn't something that the president had under consideration," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters shortly before Obama spoke with CNBC.

After the interview, White House deputy communications director Jen Psaki said nothing has changed and the White House is "not considering" a VAT.

Many European countries impose a VAT, which taxes the value that is added at each stage of production of certain commodities. It could apply, for instance, to raw products delivered to a mill, the mill's production work and so on up the line to the retailer.

In the CNBC interview, Obama said he was waiting for recommendations from a bipartisan fiscal advisory commission on ways to tackle the deficit and other problems.

When asked if he could see a potential VAT in this nation, the president said: "I know that there's been a lot of talk around town lately about the value-added tax. That is something that has worked for some countries. It's something that would be novel for the United States."

"And before, you know, I start saying 'this makes sense or that makes sense,' I want to get a better picture of what our options are," Obama said.

He said his first priority "is to figure out how can we reduce wasteful spending so that, you know, we have a baseline of the core services that we need and the government should provide. And then we decide how do we pay for that."

Volcker has said taxes might have to be raised to slow the deficit's growth. He said a value-added tax "was not as toxic an idea" as it had been in the past.

Since then, some GOP lawmakers and conservative commentators have said the Obama administration is edging toward a VAT.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100422/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_tax/print

Obama suggests value-added tax may be an option

Yeah, the President has fallen off the deep end. I don't think his handlers even bother to proof read his speeches anymore. He is only talking to his base, and doesn't really care who else is listening anymore. The rest of America is all idiots anyways, as far as Obama and the far left is concerned. Recent polls among the Democratic voters suggest that the majority of the faithful believe the President has already moved too far to the right and are becoming disillusioned. All this rhetoric is cover to save what could be a disaster for the Democrats this year, and again in 2012.

Edited April 22, 2010 by ##########

[Ali G. 37]

Riiiight, because under the Bush years you guys factored in the thoughts and opinions of democrats.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Riiiight, because under the Bush years you guys factored in the thoughts and opinions of democrats.

It's a downhill slide for both parties. We don't elect heroes anymore.

[Ali G. 37]

It's a downhill slide for both parties. We don't elect heroes anymore.

Heroes like who?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[mawilson 2,133]

That's what I would like to see - a flat income tax for any income over the existential minimum. No deductions, no exceptions. Ain't going to happen, however, because that would make those with ultra high incomes - from all sorts of sources - actually pay their fair share. They don't want to have that happen.

That's what we had 100 years ago. Then Congress started adding exceptions and deductions

for this group and that group... and now the Tax Code is 13,458 pages long.

[Ali G. 37]

Hey, that was a good era for America. The entire first world actually looked up to America back then. Crime was low and you didn't have the ghettos, no-go zones, ghost towns throughout America. The wealthy paid 90 percent in income tax and it was treason to think you could sell out your country or its people for a profit. Entertainers were not idolized or paid 5,000 times the average American. Neither kid or parent had to worry about being kidnapped in broad daylight or some fanatic trying to destroy their government, because they disagree with it. The nostalgia goes on and on. However, this is 2010 and both America and the world has changed. For some it's been an awesome change, while others have severely regressed and turned into crapholes.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Ali G.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

That's what we had 100 years ago. Then Congress started adding exceptions and deductions for this group and that group... and now the Tax Code is 13,458 pages long.

Get rid of them pages, then. It's not like there aren't lengthy catalogs of sales tax exemptions in many states. Do you really believe that a national sales tax would be less vulnerable to exemptions than the state sales taxes - or the federal, state and local income taxes, for that matter?