Buzz,
Rather than post the information that you did, I think it would have
been preferable if you had called me and asked what was going on. The
letter was a result of the California Board of Equalization calling me
probably in response to some members inquiries. The collection of taxes
is not something we had planned for and definitely not something that we
wanted to do but to cover the MVPA and MVCC were forced to mail out this
letter.
Does it mean prices are going up? Of course. I can also tell you that
the folks in Wisconsin and some other states are also being hit with tax
issues. I think that if you can step back and look at what's happening
around the country you will see politicians turning over the rocks looking
for the pennies they might have missed previously.
Anything that raises the costs of our hobby is bad, but vehicle prices
themselves seem to be getting pretty pricey without the addition of taxes,
or the state of California.
The issue of occasional sellers seems top be a thing of the past.
According to BOE, anytime you sell more than 2 items you are no longer an
occasional seller. The old definition of a person who only sells once or
twice a year is dead. To add individuals selling alongside businesses also
eliminates the occasional seller status. California is becoming a Republic
unto it's own and the only escape seems to be the one you have taken and
that's to get out of the state.
Your comment about tax computation is also way out of line. If you
total the sales you made and then take a percentage of that total, you know
how much the state expects. It's not a sliding scale like income tax, its
a fixed percentage and it's up to the seller to say how much they sold and
what is owed. For a one time event, which is specified on the event date
line, that is the only time you have to declare taxes.
I'd like you to call me to discuss this. (408)-238-8277 Rather than
damage the efforts of a lot of good people trying to put something good
together with your comments. Between the 3 clubs in California, we
represent 1000 members and 15% of the MVPA membership. We haven't had a
convention in California since 1982 and it was time for us to do it again.
If this isn't acceptable to you then why haven't you organized a convention?
Kurt Lesser
MVCC President
MVPA Convention Chairman
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