The Republic of CA Latest Rip Off

[BulldogTom]

Received a letter today from our friendly Republic. Mr. Bulldogtom, you owe us $2,500 because we think you are filing taxes and we don't have a record of you being a CTEC registered preparer. If of course, you can prove that we are wrong, we will abate the penalty.

Lets see, I have power of attorney on file with them for several of my clients. I have a PTIN number. I have been filing taxes for 15 years in this state. And at the bottom of every return I prepare, it has my name followed by an EA and my federal tax ID number.

What a bunch of crap. Those lousy lazy bastards are just looking to steal.

I love the way I am guilty because they say so, and must prove I am not or they will take my property. Those bastards never read, and if they did, they never understood the constitution.

Tom

Hollister, CA

[ed_accountant]

You just have to reply back and tell them you are an EA and you are exempt. CPAs, EA and Attorneys are exempt in from registering with the CTEC in California.

I feel the CTEC rules in California are good since it requires non-licensed tax preparers to register, be bonded and take CPE classes..

http://www.ctec.org/PreparerVerify.aspx

http://www.ctec.org/Content.aspx?pid=8

[BulldogTom]

The point is...they have fined me without any proof. They said "we don't want to ask you who you are and why you can practice, we are sending you a bill for $2500 and daring you not to bow down to us". I have every right to practice in this state. And if they don't think so, they should ask me. Not send me a bill. Who the FRIK are these dirty bastards, treating us like this is some frikkin totalitarian government.

I hate CA government.

Tom

Hollister, CA

[JRS]

That's a lot worse than the monthly letter we get from the Board of Equalization telling us we need to audit ALL our clients' records to make sure they are paying sales (use) tax. The bureaucratic agenda is doing its best to drive all business from California and now the rural residents with the wonderful "fire tax" get added to that agenda.

[kcjenkins]

So, Tom, if, when I move out there in a few weeks, if I should go to work for you during tax season, I'd end up loving them like you do?

[Guest Taxed]

California dreaming!

Love that song!

[Gail in Virginia]

It is a peculiarity of the system we live under that for criminal charges you are presumed innocent until proven guilty; for taxes and fees assessed by our governments, you are presumed guilty until proven innocent.

[BulldogTom]

I wouldn't call it a peculiarity, I would call it something different....but KC would have to kick me off the board.

Tom

Hollister, CA

[jainen]

>>Republic of California<<

John Fremont, a local hero in Bulldog Tom's hometown of Hollister, helped set up the Bear Republic in 1846. It never actually had a functional government, but we still honor it in our state flag. The first time I ever saw a distant galaxy was at the observatory on Fremont Peak!

[FLORIDA TAX MAN]

I would not call them lazy bastards. They did take the time and effort to send you a bill.

[BulldogTom]

So, Tom, if, when I move out there in a few weeks, if I should go to work for you during tax season, I'd end up loving them like you do?

You better watch out KC. I will take you up on that offer. But you better talk to my wife. I am a tough boss.

Tom

Hollister, CA

[kcjenkins]

LOL. I will give it serious thought in Dec.

[BulldogTom]

We could do a partnership you know. The standard ATX license goes for three installs. We could have Lodi, Hollister, and Modesto.

Tom

Hollister, CA

[mrichman333]

The point is...they have fined me without any proof. They said "we don't want to ask you who you are and why you can practice, we are sending you a bill for $2500 and daring you not to bow down to us". I have every right to practice in this state. And if they don't think so, they should ask me. Not send me a bill. Who the FRIK are these dirty bastards, treating us like this is some frikkin totalitarian government.

I hate CA government.

Tom

Hollister, CA

CA is BROKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have to get money somehow. I believe we will see more and more of this kind of thing. And more taxes. Like I really believe they want to tax purchases made on the internet to level the playing field. They WANT THE MONEY

[joanmcq]

Well, of course they want the money, as does every state with a sales/use tax. It's money the end consumer is supposed to pay, but usually doesn't.

[Guest Taxed]

If the sales tax on internet sales becomes law they need to make sure that sales from non US locations are also taxed. I would hate to see online retailers in Canada or Mexico as an example get a leg up over US based online stores. We can't force the non US online stores to collect a US sales tax, BUT we can impose a special import duty under Custom rules!

The point is to make a level playing field!

[Catherine]

Yeah, right. And my clients the artists who sell paintings and glass sculptures on the internet suddenly have to know the rules for over 9,000 locations (states, counties, cities).

"Level the playing field" -- balderdash. Put small businesses under more business-killing regulations, more like.

How about cutting wasteful spending FIRST? We've all seen it in our business customers -- areas where spending is more than it should be -- and they CARE because it's their money. Any one of us could go to any governmental organization and find oodles of waste. There is NO incentive to cut spending (rather, strong DIS-incentives); no reward for being good stewards of the money taken from the people; and political pressure to just go along, to keep their own cushy jobs.

[Guest Taxed]

We can solve the 9000 jurisdictions problem with a National Sales Tax. One rate for the entire country??

Yes we do need to cut Govt waste where possible but not to the point that essential services are drastically impacted. i would hate to see less cops and firefighters or teachers just to cut Govt. waste.

Finally I have many small retail clients and ALL of them complain that people window shop at their store then they buy it at Amazon!

[BulldogTom]

A national sales tax is a stupid idea. The republic of ca is never going to cede their sales tax to Washington.

It would be just another tax. Only someone with a leaning towards Rachel Maddow would really think that is a good idea.

Tom

Hollister, CA

[kcjenkins]

And remember, local and state Sales Tax is 'justified' as being to pay for state and local 'services' like fire, police, streets, etc.

I think the fact that Amazon was a big supporter of this bill says it all. They don't like the competition from the little guys, and they know that while they are big enough to easily deal with it, the little guys will find it a much bigger burden.

Frankly, I'm against ANY NEW TAX, at least until they clean up their crazy out-of-control spending.

[joanmcq]

The issue is that the local taxes that have been in place for decades are not being collected, and thus the localities are suffering. Amazon is probably sick of being sued, and has had to make concessions in so many states, like CA, that they are now not one of the issues. Collecting simply the state portion of any sales tax is a very doable compromise. Anyone tech savvy enough to do business over the Internet is tech savvy enough to get a program that calculates sales tax. I believe eBay & etsy may even remit for you, and if they don't, should start as a way to get more businesses to use their sites.

[Guest Taxed]

I am sure some smart programmer can develop a table based software. You plug in the zipcode and it gives you the sales tax rate applicable. Just like calculating shipping costs on UPS or USPS!

If filing 9000 sales tax returns is a hassle, again we can come up with a central exchange (public/private funded) that can collect and remit it to the states for online sales.

If there is will there is a way to do this.

[Jack from Ohio]

I understand that, as part of the bill, each state that wants to be included must provide a single contact point for the businesses to report the sales tax to.

Also, companies doing less than $1 Million are exempt from the rule.

Thirdly: Use tax laws have been on the books for a majority of the states since 1937. Paying sales (use) tax on items purchased in another state has been the law for 35 years. This is just a way to enforce the laws already in place. I agree with the bill requiring collection of the sales tax. I also agree with the mandate to have a single contact point in each state, or the state is not part of the program.

[Don in Upstate NY]

We still have the "what is taxable" problem. Shipping on internet orders? Bagels? (Taxed in NY if they are sliced, not taxed if they are not sliced.)

[Guest Taxed]

I think there are limited items where that problem comes into play and it is mostly food items and clothing items below a certain amount. We have that issue in the regular sales tax collection in brick and morter stores already!

Also many states in the northeast have a tax free weekend before school starts in the fall!