Welcome to Aloha Friday. This is a day according to Kailani that in Hawaii one takes it easy and prepares for the weekend. Oh I so want to go to Hawaii....I know I would love Fridays there!
An Island Life is the place to link up a question to ask Surfers and Friends visiting your site.
Here is your question for today:
How would you feel is you had to pay a fee to your city for having a blog?
This is really happening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
"In May, the city sent Bess a letter demanding that she pay $300, the price of a business privilege license......She's not alone. After dutifully reporting even the smallest profits on their tax filings this year, a number — though no one knows exactly what that number is — of Philadelphia bloggers were dispatched letters informing them that they owe $300 for a privilege license, plus taxes on any profits they made."
So, how would you feel if you got such a Letter?
Upon further research I found out that this is a Freelance registration fee. If you earned money on your blog either through advertising, giveaways or click through companies like CMF,EC and Adgetize, then you have a business. The town looks at the blog as a Freelance business, so therefore you must pay a fee of 50 dollars a year or 300 dollars for life. This is called a licensing fee.
If this happened here I think I would not have any advertising or click through companies on my site. I really do not make any money on my sites, However I do advertise so mine would be considered a Freelance Blog. Glad I do not live in Philadelphia!
Wow I haven't heard anything about this. I'm not sure how I feel. I can see where it would be called a business if you earned a lot of money advertising and such. But, I'm just not sure...
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend.
I dont think that is right. If the site you have like Blogger is free than that is all it should be. If you decided you want to use a website that costs that is your decision. I dont think a city should be able to make you pay for using a free service online. It would be like Phily making everyong pay for using Facebook or Twitter.
ReplyDeletehttp://schnider-am.blogspot.com/
They can never really enforce such a tax. What a waste of time and bad publicity.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Friday!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/08/handbags-handbags-handbags/
I read about that and thought it was sort of crazy and in no way right
ReplyDeleteI would rip it up. I would wonder how they would try to collect that?
ReplyDeleteI think bloggers will be watching this play out very carefully. Philly is doing this all wrong and not going to come out ahead with the PR. Should be interesting to see what happens in the end since a lot of us would have problems if this came to our areas.
ReplyDeleteI would be quite upset since my blog is a hobby and not a "job" with income.
ReplyDeleteCMash
It's unfortunate that cities like our own government is looking to bring in extra funds any way they can. Punishing the small time business owners and bloggers who make little if any profit. A sure sign of their own overspending and bad budgeting practices.
ReplyDeleteIt was only a matter of time before the zeroed in on bloggers.
ReplyDeleteHowever we'd fight it out in court. How can I give $50 when I"m not making anything? or $300?
Shocking! Is it really possible? I hope nothing like that will happen here in AL!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't want to pay that, and probably sign some petitions to stop it. Blogging is really more of a hobby. Money made from ads, product review, and giveaways are really not that much to tax, especially for regular blogs like mine.
that seems absurd to me but I'd pay the fee - can't live without the blog!
ReplyDeleteIt would not surprise me at all. After CPSIA nothing really surprises me.
ReplyDeleteI added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit mine and become a follower if you want to.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless You ~Ron
I am not surprised. I think it is absurd. Governments looking to make money in the digital age.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely absurd!
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy, I already pay for my domain and webspace, so I would refuse to pay my city and I would not stand for it, something would have to be done.
ReplyDeleteI didn't hear that before. If I had to pay that - I guess I'd have to give up my blog. I can't afford that. That's crazy.
ReplyDeleteThat's ludicrous!
ReplyDeleteI would probably stop blogging for that price. sheesh everybody wants a piece of the action.
ReplyDeleteI think it is insan
ReplyDeletei don' t think that anyone should pay a fee. this israzy.
ReplyDeleteI saw this on the news...personally I think it's wrong and would not want to pay...this is what I do for fun!
ReplyDeleteI am with Pam and Harriet (and some others). How would they collect and enforce this sort of tax collection policy? They would have to have an expert team somehow tracking thousands, no tens of thousands of sites every month. I would dread that accounting job. It would not be worth it to track these small businessmen to court over a small tax collection. That would waste the City of Philadelphia's time and money in their legal system. They should make it voluntary but with some worth while benefits, whatever those would be. But do not give them any ideas, ya all, hear?
ReplyDeleteSteve
I am your newest follower.Please return the favor!
ReplyDeletehttp://motherhoodthetruth.blogspot.com/
I agree with you all. Blogging is free and some time we do pay for a service. This particular letter went to all those blogger who claimed earnings from their blog sites on their income taxes, Federal or state. It also went to them due to the companies who claimed payout to bloggers on their income taxes. Our government has all the information on bank accounts and financial doings. Each online company must report income and payouts. Think about it.. Why do they ask you so many details, like name, Mail address, bank account number, Paypal account number,Url. they have to know how to send you the money and need the info to report payouts. The payout information is what is reported to the IRS Quarterly. The companies need to also show their income amount minus the deductions(payouts to bloggers)with an itemized list. Most of the time you are allow to make up to a certain amount with out paying taxes. But Philadelphia is stating this is a fee and not a tax. They get their info from the US Government(IRS). So if you claim income from your blogging that's how they know if you live in Philadelphia.
ReplyDeletethat is crazy...
ReplyDeletebut not surprising at all!