Posted on 12/30/2007 1:49:31 PM PST by Daffynition
PORTLAND, Maine - When Steve Kahn got a $26,000 tax bill on his airplane, he thought Maine Revenue Services had made a mistake. Kahn lives, works, and keeps his plane in Massachusetts.
But the bill was no error. It was part of the agency's efforts to collect taxes on aircraft owned by out-of-state residents, even though they bought their planes elsewhere and brought them to Maine only to visit.
A number of other states, from Florida to Washington, are doing the same as they grapple with budget shortfalls and as the Internet makes it easier to track the comings and goings of aircraft.
Many pilots are outraged.
"At best what Maine is doing is underhanded and devious; at worst it is illegal," Kahn said. "Either way, it's wrong."
Maine officials say they are simply enforcing the state's laws when they send bills, into six figures, to out-of-state plane owners.
At issue in Maine is the state's use tax, which applies to many goods and services bought out of state that are not subject to sales tax. In the case of airplanes, tax officials say, the law allows them to collect a 5 percent use tax from people who did not pay sales taxes on their planes if they brought their plane to Maine for more than 20 days, excluding time for maintenance and alterations, in the first year of ownership.
"We're charged with administering the law," said David Bauer, a tax policy analyst with Maine Revenue Services. "We didn't write it."
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Small plane owners are not taking this lightly ... some interesting posts here.
“Why must everyone gratuitously insult Applalachia? This is down easters actin stupid. Nothin to do with mountain folk at all..”
Yep. They conveniently forget about their urban gansta/hip-hop cultures. Better to be poor and proud than an ignorant ward of the state.
Yep
like the plane tax, they didn't bother to inform Maine businesses ahead of time - just sent them a bill - 60% of the unused gifts cards. AND the state built that expected windfall into their budget.
Beside the fact that most big outfit cards have no expiration date and would therefore, would they not, still belong to the giftee?
However, the big guys, like Home Depot, WalMart etc, all got together and sent a 'group' letter the the gov...They reminded him of a few things, like the Unconstitutionality of it (hindering commerce) that their headquarters were not in Maine - and they if the state wanted to pursue this, bring it on. They would pursue it all the way the Supreme Court - and oh, BTW, 'Our pockets are considerably deeper than yours."
I understand that the looters are now scrambling to find the money they had calibrated their budget on...I hate to think what's coming for us little guys~
Maine used be Dyed in the Wool Republican - but in the last 30-40 years, the 'Flatlanders" have infiltrated = aka Socialist Democrats - and taken over. It's part of the long term plan to take over the country...first move in and take over small population states and work up from there.
Be afraid...let ANY of these Socialists in the WH this time, and it's all over. The Republic will be dead.
They are 'kept' out of state because the owners LIVE out of state, WORK out of state and bought their planes OUT Of STATE - they visit Maine and get a $26,000 bill!
Insanity
As Maine becomes mor eand more socialist, the have the need for more and more money. Take from the rich, steal from the poor, all hail the state!
IIRC, that's been done before only I think it was New Hampster and Mel Thompson wanted to deploy nukes on the border or some such nonsense.
Same thing with RIAA ~ just don't buy their stuff and you won't get in trouble for copying it to your computer.
Maine, like RIAA, is going to go broke beating up on its customers like that.
I've put in a goodly supply of feathers for headdresses...gonna be a par-tea
Easy solution. Non-resident plane owners - keep your planes and business out of Maine. That will help their tax short fall quite a bit. /sarc
VAST?
they must also be, for the most part, invisible.
I know we have a conclave of Somalians over in Lewiston/Auburn = and others from Brazil etc in the state - but Maine probably has one of the lowest populations of illegals - they stick out like sore thumbs, not easy to hide.
Now I like that idea!
Now they're scrambling to find that money elsewhere - as the big guys (Home Depot, WalMart el al) got together and sent them a 'group letter' - basically saying, bring it on - we'll sue you and, if need be, go all the way to the SCOTUS - and our pockets are deeper than yours...hee hee
Great link. Thanks.
this is the law the big boys (Home Depot, WalMart and all) cited to Maine regarding the tax - at 60% - on all gift cards unused after 2 years.
They told them they would sue the state if they persisted - and would take it all the way to the SCOTUS - and reminded them that they have deep pockets
I was thinking of vacationing there. No way. Never.
It’s too cold to vacation in Maine.
It’s too cold to vacation in Maine.
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