States taxing "digital goods"

[unixronin]

States have figured out that people are spending money to buy digital “goods”, and naturally they want “their” share.

Including Mississippi, at least 18 states claim they have the authority to collect taxes on digital goods, and more are likely to join them.

On March 12, a bill was introduced in the North Carolina general assembly “to modernize the sales and use tax statutes by treating music, movies, books, and computer software that are delivered electronically the same as those that are purchased in a tangible medium.”

A digital goods tax measure was also introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives in late March.  The bill could raise the state more than $8.2 million in 2010 through 2013, according to the Minnesota Department of Revenue (PDF).

Comments

[house-pundit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but how easy is it going to be to pretend you're from some other state?

Or from some other country.

Belize speaks English, for example. Belize would probably regard the use of its name as free advertisement for its other services. How much money would Belize banks make for allowing you to use their address as a billing address for US$20 a year? It costs them nothing, and they can lightly spam your gmail box.

Easy peasy.