[governance] FW: TP: city government exercising policy on Google Applications / consumer rights / Consumer Protection Act / trial period

[Lee W McKnight]

Hey,

As seems to happen on occasion, Milton and I take different positions on the significance and suitability of location mattering in online sales (taxes).

For a paper on this topic; albeit written several years ago, see:

Title: 	Sales Tax on the Internet: When and How to Tax?
Author: 	Uzuner, Ozlem; McKnight, Lee
Issue Date: 	2002-07-22
Abstract: 	As a first attempt to tax electronic commerce, many countries applied the existing tax laws to Internet. However, applying these laws to border-spanning electronic commerce proved very inefficient and inappropriate. While some authorities claim not taxing the Internet is the best solution for encouraging the growth of electronic commerce, we believe that use and sales taxes in general are an important part of a government?s revenues and that their ban over the Internet is not feasible. Given the magnitude of potential revenues to be obtained from sales over the Internet, we need to consider when and how governments should tax electronic commerce. We focus on some proposals which try to answer this question and argue that a taxation scheme based on the location of the consumer is the best starting point for a global solution.
URI: 	http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/1508
Keywords: 	electronic commerce, Internet, sales tax

Lee


________________________________________
From: governance at lists.cpsr.org [governance at lists.cpsr.org] On Behalf Of michael gurstein [gurstein at gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 2:29 PM
To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Milton L Mueller
Subject: RE: [governance] FW: TP: city government exercising policy on Google Applications / consumer rights / Consumer Protection Act / trial period

No, I don't think so Milton. I think it is raising a very significant issue that someone somewhere has to be dealing with as a matter of urgency.

If no one is currently dealing with it that is the problem not the fact that folks are raising it as an issue.

MG
-----Original Message-----
From: governance at lists.cpsr.org [mailto:governance at lists.cpsr.org] On Behalf Of Milton L Mueller
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 11:19 AM
To: governance at lists.cpsr.org
Subject: RE: [governance] FW: TP: city government exercising policy on Google Applications / consumer rights / Consumer Protection Act / trial period

Well, let’s see, there are about 10,000 local jurisdictions in the United States alone. If someone has to contend with 10,000 X 220 (number of countries) differing and constantly changing laws and regulations and taxes, simply because it publishes an app on the Internet, then they will cease to exist as a viable business. I cannot imagine a better way to crush the internet economy.

Now if an internet business owns real estate in a local jurisdiction, then of course it pays local property taxes, and if it employs in a local jurisdiction then of course that corporate entity conforms to local regulations pertaining to employment, etc. But not simply because someone in that jurisdiction uses the internet to purchase their goods.

Really, the mere fact that we are asking these questions shows a certain level of innocence and lack of exposure to practical reality.

From: Roxana Goldstein [mailto:goldstein.roxana at gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 9:08 PM
To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Milton L Mueller
Subject: Re: [governance] FW: TP: city government exercising policy on Google Applications / consumer rights / Consumer Protection Act / trial period

why not?
2011/7/8 Milton L Mueller <mueller at syr.edu<mailto:mueller at syr.edu>>
Good god, let’s hope not.


Do municipal statutes have jurisdiction over non-local global

corporations with only a virtual presence/assets locally i.e. can a

municipal tax apply to virtually supplied electronic apps for example?

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