Dear Lori,
I happened across an article yesterday:
http://www.theindependent.com/articles/2011/06/20/ap/business/us_broken_budgets_internet_sales.txt
There's a wrassling match going on between States and internet retailers regarding taxes. I realize they were referring to physical items, but I got to thinking about the ebook dilemma. And it seemed to me that, no matter how things shake out, the loser is going to be the ebook reader.
We already pay Agency pricing for many favorite authors; some of those prices are outrageous. Now there will be some sort of tax added, going as high as 9%. In fact, some publishers are already adding tax to their books. I'm not sure if this is true for paper books, I don't buy paper anymore, but it sure is for ebooks.
What I want to know is, how come I would owe a state taxes on a bunch of electons originating from God knows where? And why would I owe it to my state instead of the state of origin? (which might be difficult to address with a bunch of electrons!)
As ususal, the e-reader is the one getting screwed. They'll probably figure out how to add delivery fees soon, the bassards. I'd like to slap them all into tomorrow!
What you said. And I'm a tax-and-spend Democrat, but this search for revenue goes too far. I'll pay more for liquor and everything else, just keep stay away from my ebooks.
ReplyDeleteThat would be "just stay away." *sigh*
ReplyDeleteAmen. They charge us way too much already. And here's what I don't understand: 100 copies of a paper book has 100 covers and 100 copies of each page and it costs money to make it. An ebook has one file that goes out endless times. How can you charge for that one file the same amount?
ReplyDeleteArg!!!