Lincolnite

I think it’s good we saved for a rainy day. Since it usually takes longer for the effects of a recession to reach us, then it stands to reason that it will take longer for us to come out of it as well.

I am not in favor of across-the-board tax increases, but I would still be in favor of tweaking the sales tax rules and implementing sales tax on some of the things that are exempted now. A state senator had a good list in the paper the other day.

Pop is a good example. At the gas station, why do you pay tax for pop out of the fountain and not for a bottle from the cooler (actually, some stores charge for it, and some don’t). I think it all has to do with the issue of it being “prepared” or something.

I don’t recall the specifics, but there are some services that are taxed and others that are not. Consistency and ease of understanding of all those rules would be a good thing. It’s a use tax, and I don’t have as much problem with a use tax.

This will make me unpopular, and it would certainly affect me, but I would not kick and scream if they started collecting sales tax on my online purchases. Should I buy locally? Of course. And , when it makes sense, I try to buy locally.

However, as an example, I bought a new business phone this year. At Office Depot and Office Max, it retailed for $239-249 dollars. At Amazon, it was about $180. That’s too big a difference to worry about my dollars being spent in Lincoln. However, I would have gladly had Amazon collect the sales tax for the $180.

State Treasurer Shane Osborn will be very excited to receive your sales tax check, which (I believe) you are obligated to pay whether it’s collected by the retailer or not.

I had a relevant business idea not long ago. The company would act as a middleman between states (or even localities) and online retailers. The company would provide to the retailers a full API for determining the tax on any purchase. Periodically—monthly, say—the store would submit 100% of those taxes to this company. The company would then send the money on to the states/localities, after taking a small cut off the top. The company would also provide aggregated data about what was purchased and when (but no personally-identifiable information). Everybody wins: e-tailers don’t have to mess with tax laws; states don’t have to mess with e-tailers; and the company makes some cash in the middle.

I’m shocked nobody has done this yet.

Junk food tax. Tax chips, soda, cookies, and candy bars at the normal sales tax rate.

As far as you know, I do send my tax check to Shane. I was merely pointing out that it would be so much better for the selling vendors to do that. They are set up for it, because they do it in states where they have a presence any way.

In THESE ECONOMIC TIMES (TM), I am puzzled that all states have not jumped on board that bandwagon. There could be billions of dollars of tax dollars being left on the table - and many, many states are in far worse shape than Nebraska.

And, we know not all citizens are aware of that law and send in their annual contributions. LOL

From the article:

The two-year budget sailed through the Legislature without a veto, he said.

“In five months we have a crisis. What kind of leadership is that?” Covalt asked.

Oh, snap.

This is karma’s way of making Heineman’s life miserable. He was living a charmed life as governor, then he royally screwed up the license plate issue, and now he must pay.

He’ll never again get a vote from me after the license plate debacle. Is it a big deal? No. However - do we want someone that completely stubborn and unwilling to shift gears or take free, professional outside help to be in charge? Hell no.

If that was his decision making process (not counting the lies about the vote not being corrupted by the College Humor website, then saying a day or two later it was indeed corrupted) then I have no use for him as my governor. I wouldn’t work for or respect a boss like that.