Tax on Internet Downloads

(Trenton, New Jersey) Tax-happy politicians in New Jersey are pushing an expansion of the state's 6 percent sales tax to include Internet downloads and subscriptions.

From The Express-Times

According to the bill, New Jerseyans would shell out more for currently untaxed goods and services not found online.

It would also create the new category of "digital goods," or any subscription to a Web site, or downloaded or digitally transferred product.

Targeted would be music-download services such as iTunes, which charges users 99 cents per song. That fee would go up to $1.05 under the legislation. Internet users who subscribe to Web outlets such as online journals and pornographic sites would also pay a 6 percent tax on any fees.

Supporters contend it is designed to modernize the state's tax laws in the Internet age.

So, the politicians aren't raising taxes, they're "modernizing" the taxpaying process. Of course, this means I'll have to update my list of euphemisms. "Modernizing" now means the government found a new way to stick it to the public. Consequently, if your elected official starts talking about making things more modern, hold on to your wallet.

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