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  dorpus, 13 Jan 2003 @ 1:55am

  
  

  So, just tax online sales.

  Techies have had it both ways -- their lobbyists have pressed the government to not tax online sales, because it is a "nascent industry" that needs a subsidy. And this is why technology is some sort of liberating force that will free us from the constraints of government?
  
  When California's government decides to end its tax subsidy of online merchants, you can bet techies will be just as indignant as the farm lobby.
  
  
  

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  Dr_Stein, 13 Jan 2003 @ 4:24pm

  
  

  won't matter

  Davis is already looking into taxing more internet sales as a way to reduce the state budget shortfall.
  
  Guess I'll be driving up to Oregon to shop.

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  • 

    LittleW0lf, 14 Jan 2003 @ 7:55am

    
    

    Re: won't matter

    Online purchases are already "taxed" in California. According to California law, it is the responsibility of each Californian to automatically apply California sales tax to every online purchase and forward the sum of these taxes to the California Excise Tax Board. However, in practice nobody does this.
    
    What Davis, and most of the other governors would love to see, is a way to force businesses to add tax to every online purchase, and forward the taxes to the respected authorities...except that in doing so, who is the respected authorities, because both the state in which the business is located and the state in which the consumer is located want their share, and likely so does every state in which the transaction travels through between consumer and business.
    
    I wish I could go to Oregon to shop, but being 5 miles from the U.S.-Mexican border, I guess I'll have to start spending money south of the border (ok, that is an idle threat...)

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