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Chicago imposes ‘cloud tax’: Officials aim to collect $12M from digital services
wash times ^ | July 3, 2015 | Douglas Ernst

Posted on 07/04/2015 12:36:24 PM PDT by upchuck

Digital media companies and Chicagoans will now be slapped with a 9 percent “cloud tax” on streaming services, the Chicago Sun Times reported Wednesday.

City officials aim to generate $12 million from the new tax. Collections will begin Sept. 1.

“In an environment in which technologies and emerging industries evolve quickly, the city periodically issues rulings that clarify the application of existing laws to these technologies and industries,” mayoral spokeswoman Elizabeth Langsdorf said in a statement, the newspaper reported.

Companies are already working to shift costs imposed by the “cloud tax” onto consumers. Entertainment website The Verge reported Wednesday that Netflix has already began making arrangements to add the tax to the cost charged to its Chicago customers.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chicago; taxes
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Sorry there's not more of an excerpt. We have to hold excerpts to no more than 50% of the article and this one pushes that limit :)

The supposed $12m this will generate is a drop in the bucket to keep Chicago going. In what year will Chicago file for bankruptcy? I'm guessing 2017, maybe sooner.

1 posted on 07/04/2015 12:36:24 PM PDT by upchuck
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To: upchuck

Pretty son, only the gibsmedats will live there in that city, and all Americans will be underwritig their free Internet “Chicago Tax” on their Internet bills.


2 posted on 07/04/2015 12:41:19 PM PDT by telstar12.5 (...always bring gunships to a gun fight...)
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To: telstar12.5

I think that would violate prohibitions on taxing interstate commerce.

The service providers are not local, they provide a service across state lines (which includes products—downloaded movies and documents and news feeds).

(But what do I know?)


3 posted on 07/04/2015 12:47:37 PM PDT by CondorFlight (I)
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To: upchuck

’ . . . the city periodically issues rulings that clarify the application of existing laws to these technologies and industries . . .”

Once the alarmists push through their carbon tax, figure the city to tax every breath you exhale within the city limits. Heck, since the CO2 is mobile, they’ll probably try to rope in the collar counties as well.


4 posted on 07/04/2015 12:47:39 PM PDT by Stosh
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To: upchuck

Nice cloud you got there. It would be a shame if anything happened to it.


5 posted on 07/04/2015 12:49:54 PM PDT by lowbridge
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To: lowbridge

You can keep your cloud, if you like your cloud.


6 posted on 07/04/2015 12:51:25 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: upchuck

Reason #345,564 to leave.


7 posted on 07/04/2015 12:56:06 PM PDT by The Antiyuppie ("When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day".)
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To: upchuck

8 posted on 07/04/2015 1:04:11 PM PDT by JPG (What's the difference between the Rats and the GOPe? Nothing.)
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To: upchuck

Glad I’m getting out of that city. The state’s bankrupt, there’s bums on every corner, high unemployment, you have to be careful where you walk down there unless you want to become another statistic and now they want to tax my Netflix. Screw Rahmbo Emanuel and his merry band of crooks I’m done!


9 posted on 07/04/2015 1:24:51 PM PDT by erod (Chicago Conservative | Cruz or Lose!)
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To: erod

Any idea where you’re gonna go?


10 posted on 07/04/2015 1:26:08 PM PDT by upchuck (There is no coexisting with those who want to destroy us from within.)
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To: JPG

Back when they were all 15. LOL


11 posted on 07/04/2015 1:28:17 PM PDT by upchuck (There is no coexisting with those who want to destroy us from within.)
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To: upchuck
Hey hey you you, get offa McCloud photo: MCCLOUD mccloud.jpg
12 posted on 07/04/2015 2:35:18 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: Stosh

. . . the city periodically issues rulings that clarify the application of existing laws to these technologies and industries . . .”


Translation — the city periodically imposes new taxes on goods or services not previously taxed.


13 posted on 07/04/2015 3:25:59 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: upchuck

I heard Chicago has messed up finances.

I heard that they somehow borrowed against projected parking meter income for the next 75 years. 75 years. And that they went through all that money in about 3 years.

I also heard that pension obligations are going to cripple the city finances in the not too distant future.

I’m glad of one thing. Whatever happens cannot be blamed on Republicans or conservatives. Democrats have run that place for generations. Whatever problems Chicago has must be blamed on the Democrats who have been in charge.


14 posted on 07/04/2015 3:28:56 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: upchuck

The government is getting into the Roku business.

God help us all.


15 posted on 07/04/2015 3:49:37 PM PDT by Samwell Tarly
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To: upchuck

Tax tax tax tax tax tax tax. Spend spend spend spend spend spend spend.

It’s never enough.


16 posted on 07/04/2015 4:13:02 PM PDT by Ray76 (Obama says, "Unlike my mum, Ruth has all the documents needed to prove who Mark's father was.")
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Chicago is screwed. Only a matter of time. You’d think they’d try to be proactive.

I read a long article recently that went into all the details of Chicago and its debt. They are very creative in financing. But the sh!t will soon hit the wall.


17 posted on 07/04/2015 6:40:17 PM PDT by upchuck (There is no coexisting with those who want to destroy us from within.)
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To: upchuck

I’m moving to Texas either Dallas or Austin ( I have a friend who lives there that would give me some roots). Either way the state as a whole is a huge improvement over Illinois.


18 posted on 07/04/2015 7:18:30 PM PDT by erod (Chicago Conservative | Cruz or Lose!)
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To: erod

Texas is a great place. Thought seriously about it when I retired early in 1999. But South Carolina won.


19 posted on 07/04/2015 8:59:17 PM PDT by upchuck (There is no coexisting with those who want to destroy us from within.)
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To: upchuck

Funny, I have a friend, a fellow Chicagoan, tell me the other day that when she retires that she will either be moving to Texas or South Carolina. Hope it’s working out for you, I’m young enough right now that I could move to Texas and say good bye to the BS that is Chicago politics. I just can’t wait for retirement and be part of another Chicago winter take care!


20 posted on 07/04/2015 9:03:03 PM PDT by erod (Chicago Conservative | Cruz or Lose!)
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