nanntique
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posted on October 8, 2003 11:50:16 PM new
Just received a email regarding -
Call to Action: Halt Legislation Threatening Remote Sales Tax!
Anybody else get it? And is it real or is it Memorex??
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AuctionAce
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posted on October 9, 2003 12:04:20 AM new
Someone on OTWA just posted about the letter. Most posters in the thread believe it is not from ebay.
New Sales Tax for eBay Sellers? (Subject Line)
Call to Action: Halt Legislation Threatening Remote Sales Tax!
More and more eBay users like yourself are being targeted by governments as a fertile ground for new regulations and tax burdens. Currently, there is a very real threat that legislation in your state will require eBay sellers to collect, file, and remit sales taxes on every eBay transaction.
Because of a Supreme Court decision in 1992, eBay sellers are currently not required to collect out-of-state sales taxes. That may change with legislation being proposed in Congress and state legislatures around the country to force tax collection and remittance burdens upon you. This is in part driven by the need of cash-strapped states to secure additional tax sources.
What can you do? Start by clicking here to get more information about this threat and how it might impact you. Then follow instructions to join our friends at NetChoice in sending a note to your state and Congressional representatives. NetChoice is a coalition of individuals, companies and trade associations dedicated to protecting your ability to buy and sell online.
Your continued success as Internet entrepreneurs in part depends upon the outcome of this issue. Please do not pass up this opportunity to have your voice heard by your elected representatives.
Tod H. Cohen
Associate General Counsel
Global Policy, eBay
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
[ edited by AuctionAce on Oct 9, 2003 12:05 AM ]
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sanmar
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posted on October 9, 2003 12:21:45 AM new
Yes, I got one too. I am sure that every eBay seller is going to get one.
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fenix03
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posted on October 9, 2003 12:24:04 AM new
Ace - why - they didn't get one so it can't be legit? LOL!!
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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tsunamii
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posted on October 9, 2003 12:58:36 AM new
My letter had this additional paragraph :
In Texas, today it is unclear how the bill signed by Governor Rick Perry will affect Texas' right to collect out of state taxes. The new law is not fully compliant with the SST, and your voice can still make a difference. Please let your state legislator know that this new law could have a potentially devastating effect on your small business.
I have looked everywhere to see where our Governor signed a bill relating to internet sales tax and I can't find anything. I know he is one that has been pushing for it though.
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Twelvepole
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posted on October 9, 2003 03:15:15 AM new
Considering the intelligence of the average OTWA poster, they probably got one but couldn't read it... all together they might have an aggregate of 60 IQ over there...
AIN'T LIFE GRAND... 
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AuctionAce
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posted on October 9, 2003 08:18:21 AM new
I don't know about that. Some of the posters here go over there to get opinions and such on different topics rather than ask them here.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
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dacreson
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posted on October 9, 2003 10:58:20 AM new
Thank you for writing eBay.
The message you received was an official email message sent on behalf of
eBay. This message was sent because you indicated in your preferences
that you wished to receive these types of messages.
Yup is OK.....
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lovepotions
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posted on October 9, 2003 06:10:55 PM new
Thats almost funny........
So all of the small timers who clean their closets on Ebay and who AREN'T A BUSINESS will be collecting sales taxes they have NO INTENTION OF REPORTING TO THE STATE.
There are enough shady cheesy people who collect sales tax on Ebay bids and they for damn sure aren't a business and most definately aren't reporting it and handing the taxes over to the state.
I only collect for California sales.
I REFUSE TO FILL OUT FORMS EVERY 6 MONTHS FOR 49 OTHER STATES!
Its hard enough keeping track of what I have to send to California, paypal for damn sure doesn't make it easy. I wish paypal would have an advanced search feature to extract only transactions that paid tax. Right now I have to pull a monthly summary and do it all by hand.
I REFUSE to find out the sales tax rates for all other 49 states not to mention different counties within each state may have different rates. I DON'T CARE!
http://www.lovepotions.com
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AuctionAce
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posted on October 9, 2003 07:58:49 PM new
I remember reading a thread about state sales taxes on another board and I copied the best post. I wonder how many bold or brazen ebay sellers collect sales tax and pocket the money. Here's the post :
Whenever I buy within California and they want to charge me sales tax, I ask then for their CA resale number. Then I verify that it belongs to them by calling the CA State Board of Equalization (strange name).I've caught two over the years that never had a resale number and one that had a revoked number.
When I confronted them, they quickly removed the sales tax from the item total (shipping in CA is not taxable). They also politely asked me not to report them to the state because it's a crime to collect sales tax and not turn it over to the state.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
[ edited by AuctionAce on Oct 9, 2003 08:00 PM ]
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ahc3
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posted on October 9, 2003 08:11:51 PM new
This isn't close to being a reality, I would guess years away if they did something like this. The only way they are going to get merchants aboard is to make it worth their while - giving a certain percentage of the tax to the collectors. If that happens, I would not mind being on board from a seller's point of view, it could be profitable. Again, I don't see this happening anytime soon. Just a different take on what may eventually affect us.
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lovepotions
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posted on October 10, 2003 01:41:51 AM new
I think the days of the internet free money wild, wild west will soon be over.
As the feds start seriously looking at online fraud its only a matter of time they partner with the IRS for the federal government to get their cut.
They got Al Capone for Tax evasion as they couldn't prove anything else in court!
Paypal already has my SSN which means Ebay now has it. Ebay also has records on my sales volume.
Before the recall hoopla started CA state congress was actively working on cracking down and regulating online sales to get the sales tax (and state income tax) they so desperately need. In this dismal economy realistically how far off do you think regulation is?
Ebay brags about how many BILLIONS of dollars in transactions happen each year. Do you really think that NOONE in the government is working up a plan to make money off of it? It's all about the money.... and the government will always find ways to get more of it.
http://www.lovepotions.com
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AuctionAce
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posted on October 10, 2003 02:08:06 AM new
Ebay is still only something like 4% of online sales. I can see the Feds spending more than they could collect.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
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lovepotions
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posted on October 10, 2003 02:43:28 AM new
Ok this will be my last post on this issue as noone wants to believe me.
Every 10 years or so the IRS working with the states pics an industry to examine.
In the early 90's is was the restaurant/hotel industry.
The myth of only reporting 8% of sales tips etc prompted it.
They examined the entire system and had proven that industry wide tipped food servers made at least 13% all said and done. They audited many franchise restaurants and opened the books and cross referenced sales versus tips off credit cards versus what waiters reported as income. Easy to do now that nearly all restaurants use electronic systems for everything. Servers report daily how much is paid to bus boys, hostesses etc etc many of whom reported nothing over the years.
1,000's of waiters got audited especially those living by the myth of the 8% and all of these companies got some serious fines for poor record keeping, gross negligence and assisting in tax evasion.
Now if you try to get a waiter job at any reputable establishment they tell you up front you will report ALL OF YOUR TIPS, if you don't and We get audited we will hand you over on a silver platter.
The internet so far is been a free for all tax evasion wonderland to many 1,000's of people who have made fortunes or at least have not had to get a regular job in years.
Everything from Auction sites, to half.com, amazon (forgot what they call their half.com "like" system) and ubids to Yahoo stores and other store portals like paypal shops and porn sites are all interconnected in this free for all system run by individuals.
But I give up on arguing since noone believes me.
http://www.lovepotions.com
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