[markwelch]

My grandma always told me that I should write personalized thank-you letters to people who gave me gifts.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to word my "thank-you" letter directed to legislators and governors in states which enact Advertising-Nexus tax laws.

Here's my first draft:

Dear {Governor/Senator/Assembly-Member}:

I'm writing to thank you for your kind and generous assistance to my California-based online publishing business.

By enacting the Advertising-Nexus tax law in your state, you've forced hundreds of out-of-state merchants to terminate their paid advertising relationships with thousands of web publishers (small businesses) in your state. This creates a wonderful opportunity for me to earn more advertising revenue while helping those merchants continue to sell products to residents of all 50 states, including yours.

I really appreciate your efforts, especially since the law will bring in only a nominal amount of new sales-tax revenue, while reducing your state's income tax revenue by a larger amount. Thank you for subsidizing my business at the expense of your state's residents and small business owners.

I'm glad that California's families will benefit from the additional income taxes I pay.

Sincerely,

Mark J. Welch

Any suggestions?

[markwelch]

Hmm, maybe I should add something like this:

Enclosed is my contribution for your re-election campaign; I hope you can continue to serve in office in this way as long as possible.

[knight01]

I saw a post from you last night about sending a thank you and thought it was a great idea. I would say it a little differently though.

Honorable (name):
I'm writing to thank you for your recent vote supporting the advertising-nexus tax bill which required merchants to pay sales tax to (insert state). Due to the passing of this legislation online merchants will be required to work more closely with me. You see, I operate a California based internet marketing business. By passing the legislation you've created an unexpected windfall of raising my income and allowing me to pay more income tax to help with our own budget crisis. Although it will likely result in a significant reduction in revenues to (insert state), you looked at the bigger picture knowing that California needed the revenue more than (insert state). That's what makes our nation so great, looking out for each other!

And in that spirit, here is another idea for you, maybe you could look at creating a tax on people in your state that operate any type of website... just a thought.

Again thank you for your support.
Sincerely,

(insert name)

Lead them in a little with the thought it's a 'real' thank you letter.

[davidh]

Yeah, your original kinda comes off a little bit like "hahaha thanks for burning all those other suckers for my benefit"

Maybe something that leans a little more toward "thanks for protecting my interests, which also helps to generate more income tax revenue for the state on commissions from sales made in the other 49 states as well".

[markwelch]

I went ahead and submitted my "Thank You" message (post #1 above) to Governors Perdue (NC) and Carcieri (RI), using their online contact forms.

[JackieA]

Thanks Mark. I'm from RI. This whole situation has really got me down. I can't believe what the legislators and Carcieri have done. Our unemployment rate is currently over 12%... the third highest in the country. We're taxed to the hilt already. Guess I'll drive by the ocean, cause that's the only thing this state has going for it.

Jackie

[net4biz]

The one thing that seems to escape the mental process of both sides of the argument, is that NO ONE really knows whether the advertising-nexus idea will be good or bad, and for whom, in the long run.

There are too sides of the argument and both of them are so full of holes to make you think that maybe the states should just force everyone to buy a collander $30 that costs
$10 to make and deliver just to make a point and a few extra bucks.

What we really need is a national debate on two things: -

1. What is the purpose of government at the various levels of polity: nation, state, county, city?

2. What is the best way to empower the government to do what it is suppose to do?

These questions force us to think about the form, the function, the structure, the logistics, the demographics, the available resources and the role of the people in the process.

In my opinion, we are prisoners of our culture and "lost in the rain in Juarez" to quote
Bob Dylan. We are so bound by mythology and ideaology that REALITY is something
that is just not apart of anyone's comprehension.

We are trying to solve problems like generals fight a war. They always start off using the model of the last war as the blueprint. And that model always results in losing, for one fundamental reason, time has moved forward and the generals' model of the situation that is arranged in his or her head has not. Situations and circumstances are differnent.

Here's a quick look at how I would address these two questions. For the first one:

The purpose of government is to facilitate prosperity for all of it's citizens - legal or otherwise and to insure fairness and justice in the process.

That means we have to have some idea of just what do we mean by prosperity, fairness and justice. The fairness problem could be solved by the idea of 'equal opportunity under the law.' The justice problem by the idea of 'equal treatment under the law.'

But these are ideas not facts. There is NO EQUALITY in reality. Everyone is at a different place,time and circumstance. So when and where you start this process by definition begins with the real fact nothing is EQUAL ... maybe, somewhat similar, but not equal.

The AVERAGE is not a REAL thing ... it's statistical abstract.

To empower the government is also a relatively simple propostion. We legitimate it with our vote and we fund it thru taxes. But, what is FAIR, taxwise?

Since there is NO equality in reality fair is decidedly relative and begs the question: Who decides what is fair? What you may think is fair, I may think is draconian.

So here is an idea that might work: No one is an island. We all live in what can be called
a community. Contrary to Neo-Con ideology. We are all part of the collective by definition.

So if the government is the facilitator of the prosperity for all, then by definition it is there to facilitate the prosperity of the community. Since taxes are necessary for the government to fulfill it's purpose and duty to all, we need to look at them as if they are
'our individual contribution to the community.'

This idea begs the question, who pays and how much. Since everyone is a part of the community everyone should pay something. And there should be NO FREE RIDERS.

So the system of payment to the government, needs to take this idea into consideration.
NO FREE RIDERS means NO EXEMPTIONS, with one exception: "That which is required to comply with the law." This idea also begs some questions that need to be thought out.

We have to make some significant distinctions to set up this system to benefit everyone, to ensure NO FREE RIDERS and a level playing field for the individual to have as wide an array of choice on how they participate and pay as possible.

One idea we need to go for is this: It is not the governments job to insure that any business generates either a profit or loss. The government has to be neutral to how
a business manages it's affairs. Therefore, the only FAIR tax is to tax business, as their contribution to the community, on their gross revenue.

This view also begs the question of 'what's a business?' Since every person is in the 'business' of survival, where do we draw the line of taxation. Should a tax on income for the individual as person, be the same as for a 'collective' such as a corporation. Does income mean revenue or profit?

I personally think there should be a 6% tax on the gross revenue of individuals and sole proprietor business owners with a flat cost of living deduction that applies to all - say $9,000. No other write offs for anything else.

And for corporations and LLC and any other entity that acquires 'limited liabilty' for its owners from the state a flat tax of 9% on their gross revenue with a $6,000 deduction
to facilitate legal compliance with states for filings. This tax would apply whether this form of business made a profit or not.

That's the base we start with - after we have that part of the equation in place, we
would then need to look at a fair minimum wage and how to spend these 'contributions to the community.'

A setup like this eliminates all the so-called tax subsides to corporations (collectives) based on write offs and such that are in fact presntly subsidized by the people in general. Plus, it still provides a huge range of choices from which to organize and operate. And most of all it provides a KNOWN level playing field on which all are free to compete.

There's more, but that would be a good start.

[Rexanne]

I twittered my TY to Arnie a few days ago

[zawadi70]

Originally Posted by JackieA

Thanks Mark. I'm from RI. This whole situation has really got me down. I can't believe what the legislators and Carcieri have done. Our unemployment rate is currently over 12%... the third highest in the country. We're taxed to the hilt already. Guess I'll drive by the ocean, cause that's the only thing this state has going for it.

Jackie

I live in Rhode Island also..... I was really down at first but, I will keep moving on with plans to have my websites online for the Holidays.... If it gets any worse, I will run back home to Louisiana to momma and cry

[Matt McWilliams]

While I love the sarcastic thank yous for my own enjoyment, let us not forget (as Rexanne did) to thank Arnold and Governor Lingle in Hawaii for vetoing the legislation.

Also, be sure to thank those already fighting this in NC so they are encouraged.

And lastly, be sure to thank those who fight and lose and those who fight and win. A win is never a truly a win as it could be brought up again next year and a loss is never truly a loss for the same reason. So be sure to tell them how much you appreciate their efforts.

[malavika]

Hi everybody,
I am new to this site.I hope this site will help me to understand quickly
I would like to say "hi" to all members Welcome to the forum.