Oh sh*t...
Heard last night on the news that our state government is trying to get customer lists from an out of state website selling cheap cigarettes to bill the website's Washington state customers for tobacco taxes that those customers would have paid if they bought in state. Can they do this? Just about every buddy of mine who smokes cigars buys in out of state websites. Thats a product of stupid legislation that overtaxes to the point of killing business that just moves away. I just don't get it. Guess our law makers are too stupid to understand the concept of diminishing returns. Some states, mine included have gotten to the point where the tax rate is so haigh as to reduce total tax revenue from tobacco products. So now they're pulling this crap. I sure hope Cbid is going to keep things confidential when it comes to purchase information. Damn the overtaxing and the gross invasion of privacy.

I certainly feel as you do regarding taxing and confidentiality, but the federal government and some state governments are making strong moves to make interstate website purchases far more difficult. The largest internet cigar vendor in the U.S. is beginning to require a copy of your driver's license with verified age on file with them. Who knows what's next?

Well Steve,
Guess I'll need to set up another coolerdor or two and fill them up now before the government starts tracking me down.

PS Love your commentaries on this board.

NJ does that too. Got a letter telling me that I owed them money for an out of state purchase I made for tabacco sold for rolling purposes. Lucky for me it was a mistake since I've never bought from that dealer. However, I talked to the woman from the NJ ATF, who correct this mistake, and she informed me that NJ was starting to try and collect these taxes whenever possible. It all depends if the online seller files papers with the state of NJ. That's definitely going to make me think twice about purchases out of state. Good deals don't always seem like good deals with 36% more added to them.

I may have to move to Penn, just to be in the same state as CBid!!!

PT 😉

dbguru/ I was talking to a well known Cigar Maker a few days ago about this same sort of deal but the state that was involved was Idaho..Arrgghhhh. Now U all should know who I was talking to. Any way the state called him and wanted a list of all the people he sold cigars to so they could charge thier state tax to them. The responce they recieved was WHY should I ?? If my buliding starts to burn can I call you to come put it out?? Or are your police officers going to come and investigate a break in for me// The answer is NO to both of these question in fact the states answer was OF COURSE NOT.. And then the Cigar Makers reply was then why should I help you collect your taxes when you aren't going to give me any services.??? After a Long conversation I feel right in behind this Cigar Maker and his beliefs on the matter, there is NO law as of yet that we know of that says we have to give out that kind of information to any one in fact it is just the other side of the coin Confidentialty of information is what the net operates on so the sweet little idenity theaft's out there won't wipe you out..The bad thing is that some states have started to try to intimidate business into giving the information and some of the business have given in.. One state as a matter of fact has passed a state law that if they know you sell to any one in thier state and you don't charge and fork over thier state tax then they will hold a hearing and issue an arrest warrent in thier state for you. So If that happens to me and I'm going through that state and get stopped for some thing then I go to jail and don't collect my $200.. The Cigar Maker told me about that state and since I do hardly NO traveling any more I have forgotten which one it is..It that GREED thing if you have a little some thing then there is always some one out there that wants it all from you....I will close down my business before I would give out any information like that to any state for any purpose..It's a SHAME that this is happening but if people would learn to live with in thier means and stop spending so much money for things that they can do with out then this wouldn't need to be happening. (I mean states).. JMHO ...TinMan

Whew! TinMan51! Glad you clarified you meant States spending beyond their means toward the end of your post. I was already thinking about my "unnecessary" cigar purchases.............:)

Great read Tin 🙂

KC

If any of you really saw how states spend their money and how legislature creates problems to cost the taxpayers more money, you would all be totally disgusted.
Here is an idea of some examples.
A state purchases 3 trucks, the are delivered adn then they go to purchase service bodies for them, the Dept. of Administrative Services [DAS] cancels the contract on the service bodies, so now a new contract must be made. The specs are written, then they go to DAS for approval, then if not approved, back for re-write. After the re-write, back to DAS, then to DOJ [Dept. of Justice], if not approved, the cycle starts over. If approved, then the bid goes out and they award the contract to the lowest bidder. Guess what kind of quality low bid gets you?
All this while, the brand new trucks [$210K worth] sit for almost a year now and the contract hasn't even been awarded for the service bodies.
I know this, because one of those trucks is the replacement for the 20 year old service truck I drive.

So now the next example.
The state can save thousands of dollars in future repairs by modifying some hydraulic hoses on the trucks when they are built, but because it would cost fleet the money to retro the systems ahead of time, they chose not to do it. Instead, it will come out of the highway maintenance's budget and cost 5 times as much.

These are only 2 of hundreds of examples of how states waste money. All because of the way they do business.

If my state tried to collect taxes for an online purchase, I would be inclined to contest that. The transaction, in my opinion, takes place in the vendor's state. That's where my CC is charged. Of course it would cost less money to just pay the tax. If I was pissed enough though, I might be willing to spend a few (lawyer) to save a few.

arwings I'm with You! I thought the "4 little people" must have asked the Tin to post that for their dad to read. Ok now if they will all go to sleep I can sneak into thier mothers check book 🙂

California's been doin' it with the DMV for years. Try registering an out of state vehicle here without paying sales tax based on it's worth. Ain't gonna' happen.

Interstate, internet sales tax?

It's just a matter of time.

Maybe it's time for another "Tea Party."

The state of Wa. has hurt themself by taxing so high they lose exactly want they are trying to gain. I'm not a big fan of the guy but I just may write a to Mr Eyman.