Strange way for a local government to make money, but now Philadelphia is starting to require bloggers to “register” and pay $300 for an official business license. Below is an article from the Washington Examiner.
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.
I wonder what your accountant would say? I talked to mine and he said the county ordinance only required a business license if you had a storefront or physical office location where you conduct your business. What are your experiences? Curious to know what is happening in other parts of the United States and elsewhere. Thanks.
There are regulations for the web, if you run a business on the web from a certain country you still have to comply with their laws (intellectual property, accessibility, no-kiddie porno, no-terrorism, filing taxes, no-fraud, privacy, etc). Granted it’s not exactly a scenario which regulates businesses based on their practices but let’s face facts here. Government’s don’t understand the Internet (even the US Gov which funded it’s creation), if you wanted to regulate something like web design (for example), there’s no way you could really control practices beyond the standards which exist as a barrier for entry as things change too quickly to be moderated.
That’s terrible, as blogging can be a good source of income, for most it is only a very small amount of money, and in my case, no money comes from blogging at this time. It is simply a means of communication. Also it seems wrong that this is coming from the state government, considering (as Alex said) that blogging takes place virtually. There is no physical space being used to run the business, and regardless $300 is a ridiculous amount.
I’m located in Kansas, which happens to be a little behind on technology. I can imagine if these laws do hit Kansas, it won’t be right away. I should be in the clear for now, thankfully.
You guys do know that this pisses off people that the internet is open?
Radio = closed
Television = closed
Internet = will be closed someday. I doubt it could happen totally because someone did suggest to me that there will be an open/closed internet kind of like a black internet.
Somebody in office is always sitting somewhere plotting on the little people, on how to capitalize on the internet. I say if they want money from the world wide web, launch your own business, quit your day job, and get a piece of the Google AdSense or other online ad revenue. There is enough money to go around for everyone, without stepping on blogger’s toes and juicing someone else’s pockets…lol
lol, a web browser joke that I can’t even begin to get. I don’t prefer IE, but what do you mean? IE and opera don’t get me started they just don’t like my slow internet.
Oh, I agree that internet regulation is coming. Companies are silently thinking of all kinds of ways to additionally capitalize on the internet, even from struggling users of the world wide web. First, we had freedom of speech online. Then, it was the free thinkers world. Now, the internet is going to siphon all the money people make online from every which way possible? There’s alot of money hungry ppl everywhere…
When I posted the Obama internet killswitch it got taken down because it was political, but now that this is happening maybe my ideas were right all along.
I would refuse to pay on the grounds that by demanding money for an expression of self which has little commercial interest or value associated with it, they are directly violating the right to freedom of speech. I can understand wanting her to label her income under tax records as a form of self-employment, but do you really need a license to run a business in the USA (here in the UK you just state that you’re going self-employed, let the tax people know and file your earnings with the inland revenue each year. I guess her best solution would be to cease blogging for payment (or to move elsewhere).
I confirmed in my area that a business license is tied to property taxes, so if your business takes up any amount of physical space (or square feet) that is the primary reason you will get flagged for not having one on file. Interestingly it is also against the local laws if you do not prominently display the license on the wall of your establishment.
My wife used to teach music lessons at a music store, and she was notified by the county where the music store was located that she needed to pay $80 a year for a business license because of her small studio. Did not matter to the government that the music store already had a business license for the entire footprint of the store, nor did it matter that she shared that same studio with other teachers. It was the local government’s position that every individual teacher needed to pay the annual fee.
I’m really confused. So if you have a “blog” and you live in Philly, you need to pay a $300 fee for the privilege…of what? So, you must blog for profit now (and hope you make enough to pay the taxes and the $25/month fee)? Let the corporations get their own shills, I thought cities were still about people. Guess I was wrong.
That whole approach is SO riddled with holes (in terms of legality and logic). Take a page from the old Microsoft or Google, you need to get really huge before you can start strongarming people into silliness like that. Philly is looking to add to the anti-trust laws I guess!
Way to encourage people to lie about taxes and stuff! Woot, nice moves. Good to see public service believes in employing the severely mentally handicapped.
This is really stupid. For now i don’t think there is an international law that requires this. And to stop a law to be made in Phily i think you should ask for an official meeting with the mayor and with some the representants of the blogging area and to give you an official base for this.
Lol, when they outlaw blogs, only outlaws will have blogs.