# I owe a California Use Tax? WTF?!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 17, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063 "2010-07-17T21:57:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/141 "2010-07-26T19:01:20Z")
That’s… one of the most rambling and noncommittal things I’ve ever read. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/142 "2010-07-26T23:13:46Z")
I’m surprised the various state legislatures haven’t passed a law saying “Any business providing mail order or internet/online sales to residents in this state must collect sales tax on the item”, or lobbied the US Federal Government to pass legislation to the same effect. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/143 "2010-07-26T23:23:36Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’m surprised the various state legislatures haven’t passed a law saying “Any business providing mail order or internet/online sales to residents in this state must collect sales tax on the item”, or lobbied the US Federal Government to pass legislation to the same effect. Some have. When I was looking into this back in April I think about 8 states had laws like that on the books (I’m going from memory, so forgive the ballpark figure and lack of specifics. None of them were California so for the most part it didn’t matter to me or my office). For example iTunes charges sales tax to several state’s residents, but not California, because it doesn’t have to. IIRC Amazon just started charging sales tax to NY residents because of new laws put in place this past year. The wheels are turning in reaction to the progress. It’s just happening slowly. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/144 "2010-07-26T23:31:40Z")
Missed the edit window to add: Let me couch the above with an “I think”. When I was looking into use tax earlier this year my goal was only to find out which online retailers (if any) charged sales tax in California. I came across information about other states as a by product of that research, but as it wasn’t really all that important to me at the time I sort of glossed over it. It is possible that I am misremembering the information. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/145 "2010-07-26T23:44:02Z")
It’s just my understanding of US politics is that the states all hate each other AND the Federal Government, and none of them can ever agree whose problem/responsibility a particular thing is. I mean, I strongly suspect that if Australia had a different sales tax in each State, the Commonwealth Government would have passed legislation years (if not decades) ago to the effect that retailers operating via mail or internet order and shipping to another state had to collect that state’s sales tax. As it is, we’ve got a national GST, which really does simplify things. I’d suggest the US look into it, but we all know that’s never going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/146 "2010-07-27T13:27:59Z")
Assisting states with their tax collecting operations is none of the (US) Federal government’s business. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/147 "2010-07-27T14:28:06Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > As it is, we’ve got a national GST, which really does simplify things. I’d suggest the US look into it, but we all know that’s never going to happen. I’m not sure if that last line was intended as snark or not. The U.S. formed as a much more loosely aligned federation of states than it’s become (I think the big turning point was the Civil War); but just because we have much more unity now than we did 230 years ago doesn’t mean that there aren’t still a bunch of differences in the way different states operate, nor does it mean that we should completely wipe out that individuality and replace it all with federal control. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/148 "2010-07-27T15:17:36Z")
Well, we should, but we aren’t going to. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/149 "2010-07-27T18:32:45Z")
While there would certainly be benefits to complete federal control, I kind of like the way things are set up now. It’s like having fifty different test tubes in which to conduct civics experiments. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/150 "2010-07-27T18:41:06Z")
That’s what Europe is for. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/151 "2010-07-27T19:13:28Z")
Ah yes, because we’ve had \*such \*luck getting things enacted that have been proven to work just fine in European countries, like socialized medicine, more vacation days, decriminaled drugs, and same-sex marriages. ETA: There’s also such a thing as a good negative example, whereby we can clarify constitutional protections in response to particularly retarded changes in state laws. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/152 "2010-07-27T23:43:03Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Ah yes, because we’ve had \*such \*luck getting things enacted that have been proven to work just fine in European countries, like socialized medicine.. Why, yes, things are certainly working out peachy in… [Oh, wait!](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/world/europe/25britain.html) Guess not. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/153 "2010-07-28T01:24:24Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > [@magellan01](#): > > > > But maybe the problem is that my racism exists in your head, and not in reality. I repeat: > > > > [QUOTE=Shot From Guns] > > I can’t dig into their slimy little minds to prove anything–I can only offer conjecture. And the main difference seems to be that these aren’t (to them) Europeans. > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Of course you don’t come out and \*say \*you hate niggers, or all Arabs should be lynched. Of course not. Because that’s not that what I think. Now if you really _could_ read minds, you’d know that. But you can’t, so you just make up what in your little mind just _must_ be true. :rolleyes: > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You don’t like to \*think \*of yourself as a racist, after all. But your disgusting positions betray you. Fact is, I know I’m not a racist, but you like trying to use the word so you can conveniently discount a counter position. Sorry, son, that’s weak. You don’t like my position, therefore you jump to it’s “disgusting”. What are you nine years old? > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You think that we should treat all Muslims as some kind of second-class citizens (without ever actually getting specific, despite multiple requests); You really should read my posts. You know, the words that actually appear on the screen. > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > you think that Arizona has the right idea about how to deal with immigration (make all the Mexican-looking ones carry papers). They do have the right idea. But as one should expect from you, you _completely_ mischaracterize the law. Try reading it, douchebag. Who the hell do you think you are, Barack Obama? Eric Holder? > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You’re a racist, and anyone with two neurons to rub together can see it. Guess that means we can ignore _your_ analysis. Thanks for playing, though. Now, why don’t you stop with this hijack and go into the other thread and man up. Here’s where you left off: > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I can’t dig into their slimy little minds to prove anything–I can only offer conjecture. And the main difference seems to be that these aren’t (to them) Europeans. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/154 "2010-07-28T14:28:56Z")
You go ahead and keep telling yourself you’re not a racist. I’ll be staying as far away as possible, being disgusted by you, along with just about everybody else in that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/155 "2010-07-28T15:35:19Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > > Ah yes, because we’ve had \*such \*luck getting things enacted that have been proven to work just fine in European countries, like socialized medicine.. > > Why, yes, things are certainly working out peachy in… > > [Oh, wait!](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/world/europe/25britain.html) > > Guess not. What, did you just post a link to the first news article you found which kind of seemed like it might be bad news for socialized medicine? I find it sad that the socialized education system did such a poor job of helping you overcome your learning disabilities, for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/156 "2010-07-28T16:15:24Z")
It’s so \*cute \*how you’re still surprised when \*\*SA \*\*has nothing to contribute. ---
**Author:** ![bullrun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@bullrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bullrun)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/157 "2010-07-28T23:49:56Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > > [@magellan01](#): > > > > I just received a letter telling me I’ll have to pay a California Use Tax. I never heard of this. Evidently, I’ll have to pay this Use Tax for any purchase I made out of state that did not charge me tax. So, if I bought a book from Amazon for $20, I owe (I think) $1.75. > > > > I’m telling you, California is the nuttiest fucking state with all these taxes. I’ve been thinking of moving, and this just might push me to do it. > > > > Does anyone know anything about this. Also, Am I going to suddenly have to pay this Use Tax on stuff I bought online five years ago? I did read that the penalty for any tax you do owe is an additional 10%. It seems like it’s a way for the state to tax online purchases, even though the feds have so far chosen to allow those transactions to be tax-free (unless the seller has a store in your state). > > > > :mad: 😕 :mad: > > Moving out of state over $1.75? Makes perfect sense to me. Move to Texas. God Bless Texas ---
**Author:** ![bullrun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@bullrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bullrun)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063/158 "2010-07-28T23:52:20Z")
Now now…!! There are literally millions of illegals and gangmembers depending on you paying your taxes. Think of your fellow man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-owe-a-california-use-tax-wtf/547063.md?page=7)