Tax on Internet Sales

[HYDROSTAN]

What do you think?

 

[wrobert]

What do you think?

Actually, Rep. Don Brown proposed going along with this several years ago if the State would drop the sales tax rate to make it revenue neutral.

Currently, if you purchase somethig via the internet and they do not collect sales tax, you are suppose to voluntarily remit. That system is not working very well.

 

[HYDROSTAN]

Actually, Rep. Don Brown proposed going along with this several years ago if the State would drop the sales tax rate to make it revenue neutral.

Currently, if you purchase somethig via the internet and they do not collect sales tax, you are suppose to voluntarily remit. That system is not working very well.

Is it if you purchase something from the state you reside in or any state?

 

[wrobert]

Is it if you purchase something from the state you reside in or any state?

My understanding is the Federal bill is to cover 22 states. The problem is going to be getting some consistency in what is taxed. A lot of food and drugs are not taxed in Florida, but it gets even more confusing in the details. Certain drinks are not taxed if they contain a min amount of fruit juice, others are taxed, while water is not taxed, I think sparkling water is. And this sort of thing is prevalent in 22 states that all have lobbyist fighting to protect their little piece.

I wonder what the lobbyist industry is valued at as a whole in this country.

 

[seaside2]

Not exactly on thread, but thought this might be of interest. Note that it takes $11.6 b to keep the IRS fed. This is copied from the OMB website.​

Department of the Treasury
(In millions of dollars)

​

2007 ActualEstimate20082009 Spending Discretionary Budget Authority: Internal Revenue Service10,59710,89211,362 Financial Management Service235234239 Departmental Offices247267301 Bureau of Public Debt176173177 Inspectors General150159165 Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau919497 Financial Crimes Enforcement Network738691 Community Development Financial Institutions Fund559429 All other−145−4? Total, Discretionary budget authority11,47911,99512,461 Total, Discretionary outlays11,33511,86812,485 Mandatory Outlays: Payment where Earned Income Exceeds Liability for Tax38,27439,46341,022 Legislative proposal??−40 Payment where Child Credit Exceeds Liability for Tax16,15916,32116,780 Legislative proposal??3 Payment where Alternative Minimum Tax Credit Exceeds Liability for
Tax
?
357
306 Interest Payments on Advances to the Black Lung Disability Fund
Trust Fund
−717
−737
−758 Legislative proposal??−2,288 Internal Revenue Collections for Puerto Rico462404389 Legislative proposal?75102 Terrorism Insurance Program2152426 Presidential Election Campaign Fund322082 All other−990−1,367−1,143 Total, Mandatory outlays53,22254,87654,801 Total, Outlays64,55766,74467,286 Credit activity Direct Loan Disbursements: Community Development Revolving Loan Fund155

 

[ShallowsNole]

Most everything I buy on the internet (except for an occasional EBay auction) is from companies that have nexus in Florida, so I pay sales tax anyway.

I think it's working fine, the way it is.