California Controller Backs Net Tax Plus "Download Fee"

from the uh,-wait-a-second... dept

California's new Controller, a former eBay executive, made a splash last night by telling Silicon Valley execs that not only does he support taxing online sales, he think there should be an internet connection surcharge on your phone bill and a "per download" fee on software. What's most stunning about this is that he doesn't even try to justify it on a reasonable basis. He simply says that California needs the money, so they'll tax whatever is necessary to get it.
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  • identicon
    dorpus, 7 Feb 2003 @ 11:27am

    Excellent

    It shows the tech industry is growing up, when it is able to take on adult responsibilities and stop hiding behind government subsidies of tax shelters.

    What about the $600-per-PC "Environmental Impact Fee"? We could also start an internet licensing system, whereby applicants for a web hosting license must pay $800 to the Internet Regulatory Commission. Doctors and some other professionals have to pay the same kind of stiff fees.



    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Oliver Wendell Jones, 7 Feb 2003 @ 12:16pm

    Time to leave CA

    Seems to me that you'll just seeing businesses packing up and leaving California... and taking their tax dollars with them.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      dorpus, 7 Feb 2003 @ 2:27pm

      Re: Time to leave CA

      They said that about CA during the last recession, that taxes are too high here.

      1. Other states will follow CA's lead anyway.

      2. High-end research businesses can't leave here because of the talent pool anyway. There are plenty of stories of businesses that relocated out of high-cost areas, and ended up with incompetent, terrible local labor.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    keith knutsson, 9 Feb 2003 @ 10:57am

    No Subject Given

    no new taxes

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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