Pay up, state says California pushing little-known use tax

SFGate ^ | Jan. 9, 2004 | Verne Kopytoff

[.38sw]

Ok, all you Californians buying stuff out of state. Pay up! The state is making is easy for us to pay the use tax by including a line on the tax return, rather than making us file a separate form. The state needs the revenue!

[ContemptofCourt]

This does not bode well.

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[Hank Rearden]

"The use tax is one of the most misunderstood and most unknown out there, " said Vic Anderson, a supervisor in the audit division of the state Board of Equalization, which oversees the tax. "We're trying to increase the visibility of it and make it as easy as possible to pay."

I wonder if this parasite dreamed of someday becoming a "supervisor in the audit division of the state Board of Equalization" when he was a little boy.

That was my dream but sadly, I never achieved it. He must be so proud.

[Dan from Michigan]

Michigan has a 'use tax' as well going back about as long.

This is not good company to share.

[big_Rob]

This is happening in New York as well. State wants sales tax avoided from Indian reservation purchases too. Lets see them prove where that gas came from.

[Still Thinking]

IMHO they are on shaky legal ground with this. They can't call it a sales tax, because that would be interdiction of interstate trade, but the use tax is in the exact same amount, colletected on the exact same goods, and only charged when the sales tax isn't collected. So how is it not a sales tax under a different name??

[Visalia]

I am a resident of CA. I specifically avoid CA e-tailers to avoid the tax. Too bad. That's what business gets for doing business in business UNFRIENDLY California.

[Capitalist Eric]

"The use tax is one of the most misunderstood and most unknown out there, " said Vic Anderson, a supervisor in the audit division of the state Board of Equalization, which oversees the tax. "We're trying to increase the visibility of it and make it as easy as possible to pay."

Translation: We're so desperate to suck more money out of California citizens, that we're resorting to any laws that might help... What'll you see the fines we'll give you for spitting on the sidewalk!!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

What's next?

[.38sw]

audits of etailers perhaps?

[hunter112]

We have an equally ignored "use tax" here in the People's Republic of Washington. What I worry about is a state getting hold of lists of customers of Internet service providers, then mandating that some sort of spyware be placed on computers, finking to the state every time you buy something online.

No doubt, some fifty percent of the sheeple will go along with just such a thing!

[.38sw]

The article states that 19 states have the use tax line item on tax returns.

[TheMightyQuinn]

Should i also include the california gas tax that i didn't pay when i bought gas out of state while on vacation?

[.38sw]

Only if you brought back into the state with you. :)

[discostu]

Only on the portion that was still in your tank when you re-entered the compound.

Use taxes are pretty common, they just usually don't bother to target citizens, school districts pay a lot of money in use tax. I always get a kick out of one section of the government trying to squeeze extra money out of another section.

[Cyber Liberty]

However, many don't know about the requirement to pay the use tax, implemented in 1935, or they choose to ignore it, knowing that they are unlikely to be caught.

The highlighted part of this has me scratching my head. 1935? Was AlGore even born then in order to invent the internet?

[Grampa Dave]

Check on the increased cost of building/remodelling permits on presently owned property in your city/county.

The tax suckers have kicked those rates up incredibly.

Some of the really rat infested counties have employees hired to monitor injuries admitted to ERs. If someone falls off or on an unapproved deck, you could get a big fine possible criminal charges.

The vile San Francisco DA, who was just defeated, apparently had a watchdog committee in the DA's office ready to file charges against any home owner or business property owner if some one was hurt on an un approved anything.

[.38sw]

Although it isn't made clear by the story, Californians are required to pay use tax on whatever they buy out of state and bring back in. So, say I go visit my mother in Idaho, and we go shopping while I'm there. I buy shoes, or whatever strikes my fancy, and I bring my loot back to California with me. Get out the receipts, total up my purchases, figure 8.25% of that amount, and send it in. Of course, I've already paid the Idaho sales tax on it, so this is on top of what I've already spent.

[RightField]

While they're at it, the state should just issue a harness that will keep up permanently bent over, grabbing our ankles.