Chicago: "amusement tax" and "personal property tax" for Netflix and cloud services

[Stacyrect]

I can't really see why people are in such an uproar over this. If you previously paid a tax on a book that you purchased, and now instead of buying a physical book you're downloading the book, what's wrong with paying a tax on that?
Although I'd like to know what "nonpossessory computer leases" refers to.

Because illinois already has a sales tax, which is exactly what your talking about. Now you get charged an extra 9% just because its electronic

[Captain N]

Because illinois already has a sales tax, which is exactly what your talking about. Now you get charged an extra 9% just because its electronic

We were not taxed on Netflix previously. The same with both Steam and Amazon - Illinois residents were not paying Sales Tax on those two either until recently. This isn't double-taxation on Streaming Services....It's applying a sales tax to something that should have been already taxed anyways.

[Elegiac]

I mean it's one thing to look at tax increases when absolutely necessary, but Chicago is notoriously corrupt. I wonder if the city has done an audit of its expenses, and made it public access.

I don't much see the point since a fair 90% of voters are incapable of understanding what an administrative budget looks like or even means.

Also punctures a hole in your theory that 'small government is better than big government'.

[LilSaihah]

I don't much see the point since a fair 90% of voters are incapable of understanding what an administrative budget looks like or even means.

Also punctures a hole in your theory that 'small government is better than big government'.

Wonder what they're teaching them in those big government schools.

[Stacyrect]

We were not taxed on Netflix previously. The same with both Steam and Amazon - Illinois residents were not paying Sales Tax on those two either until recently. This isn't double-taxation on Streaming Services....It's applying a sales tax to something that should have been already taxed anyways.

That's wonderful, however it's still a double taxation on many other forms of entertainment. At least for concerts or other types of event ur only getting hit for an additional 5% instead of 9%. Physical copies of video games with access to online content though, sadly, get the full 15.25% tax.

[Xires]

"The amusement tax applies to charges paid for the privilege to witness, view or participate in an amusement," states the city's new ruling (pdf).

"This includes not only charges paid for the privilege to witness, view or participate in amusements in person but also charges paid for the privilege to witness, view or participate in amusements that are delivered electronically."

Sources:
- http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/C...lix-Tax-134367
- http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...701-story.html
- http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/1/887...etflix-spotify

Ah, tax tax tax- the answer to all our problems from the Dems. Oh what are those extra funds going to be spent on? Making the rich even richer. I love how the Dems tell you one thing while they do the exact opposite. Which means the Repubs and Dems are exactly the same- except they just lie about it differently.