Along with the bone-headed “affiliate tax” that New York state has tried to implement in the past year (head here for more great and in-depth discussion on that topic) in hopes of collecting about $50 million, Gov Paterson is now considering levying an “iPod tax” to collect revenue from music and digital downloads:
NY Governor Proposes iPod Tax – MarketingVOX: ”
Slot machine 2.0Hoping to expedite the close of the state’s $15 billion budget gap, New York Governor David Paterson is proposing a tax on music and other downloads made online.”
Insane.
Look, I’m a tax-and-spend liberal. However, I’m also a realist. Taxing individual consumption of things such as digital music is not only impractical and dumb, but considering the other avenues of revenue available for NY state, it’s insulting for the citizens of the state (not to mention the ludicrous affiliate tax).
I think the Beatles sang it best… “my advice for those who die, declare the pennies on your eyes, cause I’m the taxman and you’re working for no one but me.”
They really need a good slap upside the head in Albany, it seems.