Taxes

OkeeDon · Jan 10, 2005

"No offense, but when I hear 'Internet Taxes' the context is almost always the debate about how to collect sales tax for purchases made over the Internet." 

Mike, when I did a google search on "internet taxes", the references to taxes on internet access far outnumbered the references on internet sales taxes. All of the debates in Congress that I have read about have been on taxing access.

Tom4310 · Jan 10, 2005

Tax evasion, sociopaths, rationalization? Looks good on print and sounds good in public but I don't buy it.

IMHO most of the general public will do whatever it takes to get out of paying taxes. This is especially true behind closed doors or when nobody is looking. I may be pessimistic but I have seen the "general public" up close and personal and I just call it the way I see it.

I see nothing wrong with not paying sales tax on a tractor bought out of state. If that makes me a tax evader, so be it.

Gee, if Thomas Jefferson and George Washington only "followed the rules/laws" we would be paying our taxes to the Queen with pounds sterling and drinking only tea.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Henro · Jan 10, 2005

everyone, from my kids to adults, always have a good reason when they don't follow the rules/laws. As we get older, the reasons are more convoluted, have more 'facts' associated with them, sound more plausible, but it's all the same...It's called rationalization. 

Mike, interesting point.

Let me counter it, for the sake of discussion.

I have always though one rationalized things as a way to make what they want to believe true in their own minds, regardless of what the real "truth" might be. I could be wrong about this. It is just what I have believed and still believe...

But let's say there is something that is really right, correct, true, whatever you want to call it.

Like a belief that one should not steal, as an example, or pick another example, the example does not matter if one can find one that works.

Now let's say we live in a place where the rules say it is OK to steal. But we believe in the "truth" that stealing is not OK. And in the overall big picture of the planet, actually stealing is not OK. But we just live in a small area of the planet where it is OK. Living where we do, where it is OK to steal, if we choose to follow a greater "law" if you will, and decide that stealing is NOT OK, is this a rationalization, or simply a truth, that is above the law in the section of the planet where we live?

I don't know if there is any universal truth. But if there were, might it not be possible for someone to not follow the rules that he happens to find himself living under, and to be right, without rationalization being involved at all?

I guess my counter point is really just that it is not always the same...and it is not always rationalization. It depends on the situation.

OK, how's that for a rationalization??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(I really believe it though... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )

DUMBDOG · Jan 11, 2005

Herno,

Methinks that you have just rationalized a circle. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

KiotiJohn · Jan 11, 2005

( OK, how's that for a rationalization???)
What you have done is to state a philosophy based on levels or morality. Sort of like, if your wife, whom you love dearly, is dying of a dread disease, and there is medicine that will cure her, but you can't afford it, and no one will buy it for you, so you decide to steal it. Is it wrong? Let the buyers decide.
In Florida, we have a really aggravating tax law that caused one to have to pay sales tax on automobiles every time it's sold. Same rate for new or used. Is that right? Collecting over an over for the same car? I disagree with it, I loathe it, but it's what we must do. When it came time to buy my tractor, I bought it in state, and paid over $1000 in sales tax. I could have let the dealer write it up as ag use, but I wasn't willing to go through the hassle that my have ensued if it had ever been questioned by officials of the state. For a few percentage points lower? I don't remember exactly, but it's not a lot lower. Had I bought from out of state however, I doubt I would have bothered with the sales tax. Go figure. John

DUMBDOG · Jan 11, 2005

John

You will find that a lot of states will tax you on the transfer of a vehicle title each time that it is sold. And yes, it is usually the same rate of tax. Up here, in the far north, the department of Motor Vehicle now requires a receipt when transferring a used vehicle as people were not giving the proper information so that they could save a little bit of tax money.

KiotiJohn · Jan 11, 2005

( You will find that a lot of states will tax you on the transfer of a vehicle title each time that it is sold. And yes, it is usually the same rate of tax. Up here, in the far north, the department of Motor Vehicle now requires a receipt when transferring a used vehicle as people were not giving the proper information so that they could save a little bit of tax money. )
When I lived in Mississippi, they had a little less sales tax rate for buying cars, and after 10 years, you didn't have to pay it any more. I thought that was decent, but they also charge an ad valorem tax, and my car tag was almost $700/year at the time with a little reduction each year at the car became less valuable. In Florida, I pay about $38.00/year so I guess the trade off is worth it!
I realize a lot of states charge with each transfer. I hear signing the titles over as even trades is still being done to avoid the tax! John

MikePA · Jan 11, 2005

Gee, if Thomas Jefferson and George Washington only "followed the rules/laws" we would be paying our taxes to the Queen with pounds sterling and drinking only tea. 
Yep, standing boldly in the American pantheon of heroes are Jefferson, Washington and the people who buy out of state to avoid state sales taxes. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

riptides · Jan 11, 2005

( Gee, if Thomas Jefferson and George Washington only "followed the rules/laws" we would be paying our taxes to the Queen with pounds sterling and drinking only tea. 
Yep, standing boldly in the American pantheon of heroes are Jefferson, Washington and the people who buy out of state to avoid state sales taxes. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

So there is a hole in the tax codes on this, it is being worked on.

But let us not muddy the waters with our fore fathers and their work against a foreign government. I do not see the logic in comparing taxes paid to the Queens empire to taxes paid to a state in the US of A.

Do what you think is right, for your state, if the G-Men come, I say good luck to you and I hope you have a script ready to defend your position.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MikePA · Jan 11, 2005

I do not see the logic in comparing taxes paid to the Queens empire to taxes paid to a state in the US of A. 
No to mention our forefathers did this boldly and in public.