New York Online Sales Tax

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9956576-7.html

Anyone else see that New York is now forcing online retailers such as Overstock and Amazon to charge sales taxes on all items sold in New York regardless of whether or not they have a physical presence in the state. I just talked to a NY Dept of Taxation rep and he sounded about as confused as I am on this issue. Apparently, according to him, if you have someone from NY who refers to you and someone buys off your site into NY, you are responsible for sales tax... what a joke..

Sounds like New York is trying to find some more ways to make money. Here's another one. Smokers in the state will now be paying the highest cigarette tax in the nation at $2.75 a pack.

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2008/06/02/2008-06-02_new_yorks_cigarette_tax_climbs_to_highes.html

This has got to be an all-time classic quote from the article:
"Isn't that something — to say that I'm excited about a tax increase? But I am," said Dr. Richard Daines, the New York health commissioner. "This is a public health victory. We know one of the really effective tools to get people off of their nicotine addiction is to the raise the price."

Well, I guess we have solved every health issue. We just raise the price of whatever the health commissioner decides is unhealthy.

Markwes wrote:Well, I guess we have solved every health issue. We just raise the price of whatever the health commissioner decides is unhealthy.

Betcha can't guess what his party affiliation is.

LTRT wrote:

Markwes wrote:Well, I guess we have solved every health issue. We just raise the price of whatever the health commissioner decides is unhealthy.

Betcha can't guess what his party affiliation is.

And if it were up to him I'm sure a Big Mac would be $20.