New York to tax downloadable music, soft drinks

[PANatsFan]

Years ago there was a "luxury" tax placed on expensive items like big pleasure boats.  Sales of these items plummeted, resulting in widespread layoffs by manufacturers, dealers going out of business, general hardship for the entire industry.  The tax was repealed amidst widespread acknowledgment that it was a dumbass idea in the first place.  Regular working folks taking the hit.

It's a good thing if rich people are induced to part with their cash, because it sustains goods and services industries.  I hope these lessons are not forgotten.

The idea behind the low cost clothing exemption is that it is a "luxury" to buy fur coats but a necessity to buy Hanes. Sales taxes are regressive, income taxes are progressive, and Tom is arguing that luxury taxes are just stupid. Although Jim "No Car Tax" Gilmore is also stupid. If you ask the guy what he had for lunch, he'll answer "no car tax!!!" - and the best part is that there's still a car tax.

[Minty Fresh]

He's got to do something.  The State economy sucks because of the Wall Street fallout.  A majority of State revenue actually comes from Wall Street and without that cash coming in, folks have got to pony up.  I can envision families moving out of New York State over this (my family included - bid was accepted yesterday; now we have to find someone to buy our house), but it's not like the housing market is all that great right now either.

[PANatsFan]

He's got to do something.  The State economy sucks because of the Wall Street fallout.  A majority of State revenue actually comes from Wall Street and without that cash coming in, folks have got to pony up.  I can envision families moving out of New York State over this (my family included - bid was accepted yesterday; now we have to find someone to buy our house), but it's not like the housing market is all that great right now either.

Ha, read the Nate Silver link below - your answer to the question is "yes!"

[Minty Fresh]

Ha, read the Nate Silver link below - your answer to the question is "yes!"

I work for the State and read the budget proposal myself (and how it affects schools in particular).  I don't need to read Nate Silver's drivel.

[BerkeleyNat]

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/siliconalley/media/2008_12_new_york_governor_proposes_ipod_tax_aapl.html

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/12/88-reasons-not-to-move-to-new-york.html

I think Nate is not in tin-foil land this time. He's nickel and diming families to death so that he can say he didn't raise income taxes.

I saw a comment on one of those sites that said they've been taxing IPOD downloads in DC for years. Is that true?

[PANatsFan]

I work for the State and read the budget proposal myself (and how it affects schools in particular).  I don't need to read Nate Silver's drivel.

I was just referring to the title, sheesh.

[BerkeleyNat]

He's got to do something.  The State economy sucks because of the Wall Street fallout.  A majority of State revenue actually comes from Wall Street and without that cash coming in, folks have got to pony up.  I can envision families moving out of New York State over this (my family included - bid was accepted yesterday; now we have to find someone to buy our house), but it's not like the housing market is all that great right now either.

Definitely tough times to be selling a house. Good luck Minty.

[Minty Fresh]

Definitely tough times to be selling a house. Good luck Minty.

What's nice is that the wife and I qualify for a good deal of cash but we're able to find deals well under what we're eligible to finance.  My wife's employer (RPI) just went through a round of layoffs and she survived until next school year.  My Department is slated for 51 layoffs and the commissioner just said that they may be able to avoid them through natural attrition (retirements) since we have so many upcoming. 

But you're right.  The real trick is finding someone who can afford to buy a house right now and then getting them to purchase ours. 

[blue911]

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/siliconalley/media/2008_12_new_york_governor_proposes_ipod_tax_aapl.html

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/12/88-reasons-not-to-move-to-new-york.html

I think Nate is not in tin-foil land this time. He's nickel and diming families to death so that he can say he didn't raise income taxes.

If Eliot Spitzer were still Governor you could bet the massages would still be tax exempt.

I'm sorry but it was just sitting there on a tee.

[blue911]

I saw a comment on one of those sites that said they've been taxing IPOD downloads in DC for years. Is that true?

Why should e-commerce be tax exempt?

[tomterp]

Why should e-commerce be tax exempt?

So I can save money when I order stuff.

[PANatsFan]

If Eliot Spitzer were still Governor you could bet the massages would still be tax exempt.

I'm sorry but it was just sitting there on a tee.

Well done,sir.

My point is that the governor of New York is an idiot. But at least he shouted his weird indiscretions from the rooftops.

I liked Eliot Spitzer as attorney general. Busting radio payola was a huge service to the world.  I'm surprised people were surprised he was a hypocrite.

[PANatsFan]

So I can save money when I order stuff.

It's really not. In most states you are supposed to fill out a form for your tax return and pay in-state sales tax on it. I think it's for the same reason you can't buy a car in Delaware and drive it back to VA, without paying VA tax.

[tomterp]

It's really not. In most states you are supposed to fill out a form for your tax return and pay in-state sales tax on it.

Nobody does this.

[blue911]

So I can save money when I order stuff.

Good point, hadn't thought of that.

[HalfSmokes]

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/siliconalley/media/2008_12_new_york_governor_proposes_ipod_tax_aapl.html

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/12/88-reasons-not-to-move-to-new-york.html

I think Nate is not in tin-foil land this time. He's nickel and diming families to death so that he can say he didn't raise income taxes.

It reminds me of Romney's 'Fees' Hard to Raise taxes when you want the Rebublican nomination.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

freak that. Yet another reason I'd never live in that state.

[PANatsFan]

Nobody does this.

Oh I wasn't suggesting that anyone should I forgot to write the second line stating how silly it is.

[BerkeleyNat]

Why should e-commerce be tax exempt?

I'm not saying that it should be....I was just wondering if DC taxes internet purchases like it said in the article. I don't have to pay sales tax for any internet purchases.

[BerkeleyNat]

Nobody does this.

Yeah, it's sort of like dog taxes where I live at. Who in the hell pays dog taxes? I never have and no one has ever checked on my dogs. My feeling is that if I have to pay a dog tax, cat owners should have to pay a cat tax.

[blue911]

I'm not saying that it should be....I was just wondering if DC taxes internet purchases like it said in the article. I don't have to pay sales tax for any internet purchases.

I don't know but I cheat on my taxes so isn't like I'd pay anyway.

[Minty Fresh]

So I can save money when I order stuff.

 

 

[BerkeleyNat]

So I can save money when I order stuff.

Great answer Tom. So simplistic, yet so true.

[BerkeleyNat]

I don't know but I cheat on my taxes so isn't like I'd pay anyway.

I made a mistake on my state taxes several years ago. The state sent out a notice and fined me something like $75.00. The problem was that they sent the notice to the wrong address and it was returned to them. They never made any other attempts to contact me. Last year I was refinancing my house and discovered that the state had placed a lien on my property. I quickly paid the lien and had it removed, but still pissed me off that they didn't make any other attempts to contact me prior to placing the lien. My address had been the same since 1997 and my phone number had not changed. I called and raised hell and the guy on the phone smugly told me that they attempted to notify me. He then told me that they sent it to so and so address, which I quickly pointed out as being wrong. I then said look at the address I've used on my tax returns since 1997. He wasn't so smug then. All in all...I hate dealing with taxes.

[NatsAddict]

I made a mistake on my state taxes several years ago. The state sent out a notice and fined me something like $75.00. The problem was that they sent the notice to the wrong address and it was returned to them. They never made any other attempts to contact me. Last year I was refinancing my house and discovered that the state had placed a lien on my property. I quickly paid the lien and had it removed, but still pissed me off that they didn't make any other attempts to contact me prior to placing the lien. My address had been the same since 1997 and my phone number had not changed. I called and raised hell and the guy on the phone smugly told me that they attempted to notify me. He then told me that they sent it to so and so address, which I quickly pointed out as being wrong. I then said look at the address I've used on my tax returns since 1997. He wasn't so smug then. All in all...I hate dealing with taxes.

When I was working as a controller, I got tired of the IRS asking for an employment tax return, which we had timely filed, whose payment they accepted, and for which we sent them copies pursuant to their requests on about three previous occasions.  I finally ran a copy through a paper shredder, stuck the pieces in a baggie, and stapled it to a cover letter declaring in no uncertain terms that the case was closed.  Apparently, it worked.