Philly requiring bloggers to pay $300 for a business license

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  • yesme
    Gold Gabber
    • Dec 2006
    • 941

    Philly requiring bloggers to pay $300 for a business license

    Philly requiring bloggers to pay $300 for a business license
    By: Mark Hemingway
    Commentary Staff Writer
    08/22/10 5:10 PM EDT

    It looks like cash hungry local governments are getting awfully rapacious these days:

    Between her blog and infrequent contributions to ehow.com, over the last few years she says she’s made about $50. To [Marilyn] Bess, her website is a hobby. To the city of Philadelphia, it’s a potential moneymaker, and the city wants its cut.

    In May, the city sent Bess a letter demanding that she pay $300, the price of a business privilege license.

    “The real kick in the pants is that I don’t even have a full-time job, so for the city to tell me to pony up $300 for a business privilege license, pay wage tax, business privilege tax, net profits tax on a handful of money is outrageous,” Bess says.

    It would be one thing if Bess’ website were, well, an actual business, or if the amount of money the city wanted didn’t outpace her earnings six-fold. Sure, the city has its rules; and yes, cash-strapped cities can’t very well ignore potential sources of income. But at the same time, there must be some room for discretion and common sense.

    When Bess pressed her case to officials with the city’s now-closed tax amnesty program, she says, “I was told to hire an accountant.”

    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.

    Even if, as with Sean Barry, that profit is $11 over two years.

    To say that these kinds of draconian measures are detrimental to the public discourse would be an understatement.
  • res0nat0r
    Someone MARRY ME!! LOL
    • May 2006
    • 14475

    #2
    Re: Philly requiring bloggers to pay $300 for a business license

    I don't really see how this is enforceable

    Comment

    • tiddles
      Encryption, Jr.
      • Jun 2004
      • 6861

      #3
      Re: Philly requiring bloggers to pay $300 for a business license

      oh fuck that shit. I run a couple blogs and have made quite a bit more than her. It's all reported on 1099s as private contracting.
      been doing it for 3 years and no one ever asked me to register it.
      i think i will tell them to fuck off and register it in hong kong if i ever get a letter like this

      Comment

      • runningman
        Playa I'm a Sooth Saya
        • Jun 2004
        • 5995

        #4
        Re: Philly requiring bloggers to pay $300 for a business license

        This is the first shot at controlling the internet. Free Speech on the net is under attack.

        Comment

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