Chicago sued for taxing Netflix
WASHINGTON A group of Chicago https://www.foekjedillema.nl residents is suing canada goose outlet online uk the city for allegedly trying to sneak in a 9 percent tax canada canada goose coats goose factory outlet on streaming services like Netflix, Spotify and Amazon canada goose clearance sale Prime. Specifically, the suit claims the tax was slipped in using a creative interpretation of an old municipal code. Instead of passing a new tax, the city extended Chicago official canada goose outlet existing tax canada goose outlet in usa to include paid subscriptions for streamed digital music, TV shows and games.
Chicago city officials estimate the 9 percent amusement tax canada canada goose store goose outlet toronto factory will raise canada goose coats on sale $12 million canada goose outlet online annually to help close a budget gap.
But the canada goose outlet parka lawsuit argues that Chicago aldermen should have had a vote in the decision to tax.
Each canada goose outlet district in Chicago is represented by an buy canada goose jacket alderman elected to serve a four year term. There are 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council.
aldermen voted on this canada canada goose goose outlet store uk tax,” Jeffrey Schwab, an canada goose outlet attorney with the Liberty Justice Center, told The canadian goose jacket Chicago Tribune. “It never went before the canada goose outlet Chicago City Council, which makes the so called tax an illegal tax. If the city wants to tax Internet based streaming media services, then it should put the measure through the political process, and let Chicagoans have their voices heard through the democratic process. than two dozen other states charge for certain digital services. Washington has a 52 cent canada goose jacket outlet sales tax on a monthly Netflix subscription. In Wyoming, Mississippi and Vermont, residents pay an additional tax on music downloaded from iTunes. New Yorkers are charged an extra 12 cents to download the game Angry Birds.
At issue in Chicago is the way the tax was imposed.
Even if Chicago’s aldermen had voted in favor of the tax, the conservative leaning Liberty Justice Center says it would still be illegal because the definition of “amusement” under the law doesn’t include gaming or audio services.
“I didn think it was fair that just because I live in Chicago I should be taxed additionally on it,” one plaintiff, Natalie Bezek of the Illinois Policy Institute, toldFox 32 of her Spotify account.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel administration says is one reason the tax is now being applied to Internet streaming of songs, movies and other programming. That content has long been taxed when delivered via big screens, cable TV, videotape or DVDs.
“Streaming services already have their own problems. Then you want to canada goose outlet reviews add more money to it. So, I just feel cheap Canada Goose like, No! Taxing, stop!” Columbia College student Fred Jones told Fox 32.