RE: [atlarge-discuss] Re: California Senate Approves Net Tax Bill

[<bruce@barelyadequate.info>]

James Kahn wrote:

| I originally posted the reference, to see how members were
| prepared to stand and handle the issues of Internet Taxes.

OK.  But you asked for it!  :)

My general opinion about taxes in general is that they should be targeted to
support the services they tax, but that general taxes are morally wrong if
those being taxed have no say in how the taxes are spent.

For instance, I have no problem paying an excise tax on gasoline that goes
to maintaining the roads I drive on.  Thereby, the road maintenance is paid
for by those who use the road.  I also have no problem with a property tax
levee that is earmarked to support education and other direct services to
citizens in the district where the tax is levied.  That way the people in
that district get the education and services they are willing to pay for.

However, I have a real problem with Income Taxes or other general taxes when
I have no direct vote over how they are to be spent.  For instance, we have
an Income Tax in the US State of Oregon, but it, and any other taxes the
State wishes to impose on us, must be approved by the citizens of the state
in a general election before they can be imposed or increased.  That is part
of the reason the State is in fiscal trouble right now: the people don't
feel the State has been making wise spending choices recently and we refused
a tax increase!  And for that reason we have never had a sales tax in the
state: the people soundly defeat it every time it comes up.

So how does this rambling apply to an Internet Tax?  Clearly, since the
internet is working just fine on its own, what benefit to I as a user gain
from taxing my use of it?  If no direct benefit to Internet users could be
ascribed to it, then I would be opposed.

As to specific arguments jurisdictions in the US have made to justify an
Internet Sales Tax:

	1.  "Jurisdictions are losing  tax money to tax-free online sales."  Too
bad, so sad.  Figure out an alternate a way to fund your government!  Or
maybe down-size it and spend less!  What a concept!  It galls me that most
politicians think they have a God-given rights to tax us, and feel cheated
when we find a way to avoid paying them.  I've got news for you,
politicians: it's *our* money!  You have *no* right to claim *any* of it!
If I decide your use is worthy and agree to give some of it up willingly,
that's OK.  But if I say no, you have no right to it.  Period.

	2.  "'Brick-and-mortar' businesses are harmed because they have to collect
sales taxes and online sellers don't."  I have two thoughts here.
	- First, just because you have allowed yourselves to become uncompensated
tax collectors for one or more local and/or state governments, why should an
online sellers have to be forced to become an unpaid tax collectors for the
7000+ taxing jurisdictions in the US alone?!  Which situation is more
unfair?  And even if the workload *were* equitable, just because you
stupidly went along with the idea of working for your government for free
doesn't mean those smart enough to avoid similar circumstances should be
penalized out of some whacky sense of "fairness."  Better you should get
together and demand equality the other way, i.e.: no tax collecting for you
either!
	- Secondly, why should online sellers, who have embraced a new,
more-efficient business model, have to be penalized to accommodate those
using an old, outmoded one?  If anything, I'd keep the tax disparity in
place just to encourage more online entrepreneurship!

| This is just the Tip-of-the-Iceberg-Online, .... Patriot Act II,
| Intellectual Property rights, Commerce Trade sanctions and conflicts....
| on, on, on.

Indeed.  Check out my Web site for my thoughts on many of these!  I won't
duplicate my words here.


Bruce Young
Portland, Oregon
bruce@barelyadequate.info
http://www.barelyadequate.info
--------------------------------------------
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