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Originally posted by Haken:

I'll try and get caught up as soon as I can and post an update.

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Originally posted by SameErtia:
Okay... read up. Did a little research.

Haken, add me to the number of people in California who will gladly help set up a mainland entity to keep the Amazon money coming in.

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Amazon Drops More Affiliates to Avoid Tax

By GEOFFREY A. FOWLER

Amazon.com Inc. ended its business relationships with marketing affiliates in Rhode Island so the online retailer could avoid collecting sales tax in the state.

Rhode Island’s state legislature recently passed a bill that would force companies to collect sales taxes if they have online-marketing affiliates—businesses that get a sales commission by featuring links to outside e-commerce sites on their own Web sites—in the state.

The Rhode Island termination follows a similar move by Amazon last Friday to end its relationships with affiliates in North Carolina as the state approached passing a similar law. Cash-strapped states across the country have looked at similar legislation to boost revenue. Such a law went into effect in New York last year.

Amazon, based in Seattle, sent an email to its Rhode Island affiliates on Monday saying that it was closing their accounts immediately. “This is a direct result of the unconstitutional tax collection scheme passed by the Rhode Island General Assembly with a veto-proof majority,” said the message.

Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith said the company took the action now because the Rhode Island bill had passed with veto-proof majorities. “The bill would take effect immediately upon enactment—either the governor’s signature or an override of his veto,” she said.

Amy Kempe, press secretary for Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri said that the governor was still deciding whether or not to sign the budget bill passed by the legislature, and would do so by Wednesday. The state faces a $590 million deficit for the fiscal year starting in July.

Rebecca Madigan, founder of the affiliate trade group Performance Marketing Alliance, estimates there are some 2,000 online affiliates in Rhode Island, who pay about $3 million in state income tax. “We’re seeing small businesses being hit. They are the collateral damage through all of this legislation, which inaccurately classifies affiliate marketers as sales agents” rather than advertising channels, she said.

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Update! Governor Lingle has until 7/15 to sign HB 1405. She is announcing on June 30th if she will veto the legislation or not.

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Originally posted by fillygirl:
GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! being sent in triplicat!


Everybody knows, we could get around it, taxing the internet just isn't gonna fly. As soon as they do, people will stop buying.

Do not bother dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!


...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

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Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

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Originally posted by fillygirl:
GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! being sent in triplicat!


Everybody knows, we could get around it, taxing the internet just isn't gonna fly. As soon as they do, people will stop buying.

Do not bother dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!


...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

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Clearly you do not understand the thinking of King Geor.....err, I mean Democrats. You exist to be taxed.

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HB1405 HD2 SD2 CDI RELATING TO THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Veto Explanation: Places Hawaii companies, particularly those involved in on-line website development that make customer referrals to out-of-state businesses, at a competitive disadvantage to mainland and international firms by attempting to tax the activities of these out-of-state businesses. Furthermore, the bill is legally defective in that it violates Article III, Section 14 of the Hawaii State Constitution regarding the subject matter each bill can include within its scope.

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There is a glimmer of hope. The bill is on the veto list.

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Originally posted by TrainBandit:
Also, I have another idea, although it may be considered shady-You could charge for a "premium" subscription to this site, like Salon Premium.

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Originally posted by Dancingneko:

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Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

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Originally posted by fillygirl:
GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! being sent in triplicat!


Everybody knows, we could get around it, taxing the internet just isn't gonna fly. As soon as they do, people will stop buying.

Do not bother dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!


...it's worse than you know...Operative
...it usually is.....Mal

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Clearly you do not understand the thinking of King Geor.....err, I mean Democrats. You exist to be taxed.

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And yet, it's a Republican governor that's in office that's doing all of this....go figure *shrug*

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Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
Clearly you do not understand the thinking of King Geor.....err, I mean Democrats. You exist to be taxed.

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I would probably never make the site exclude anyone that way. If anything, I would probably would like to raise enough funds to pay contributing members a small amount to write feature articles for the site. Nothing that will make anyone rich, of course, but at least it'll allow them to buy a lunch or two for their efforts.

Members will donate money and in turn I would use that money to pay for content so that there's something for the members to read. If they're happy with it, I get more donations and the cycle starts all over again. Hopefully it'll all be self sustaining.

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Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

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Originally posted by Dancingneko:

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Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

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Originally posted by fillygirl:
GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! GOOD MOJO! being sent in triplicat!

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[Edited portions, 'cause I don't want to flood the thread....]
Clearly you do not understand the thinking of King Geor.....err, I mean Democrats. You exist to be taxed.

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And yet, it's a Republican governor that's in office that's doing all of this....go figure *shrug*

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Are you, like, dumb? or Democrat?
Redundancy alert.
The 2 Legislative Houses of Hawaii, both massively Democrap majority, are the clowns passing this legislation. The sole Republican with power to correct the Democrap error can still save the day, despite the most atrocious efforts of the taxaholic liberals. The Republican who can save the day had nothing to do with instigating this lousy legislation. What part of this equation are you clueless about?

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Originally posted by Haken:

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Originally posted by TrainBandit:
Also, I have another idea, although it may be considered shady-You could charge for a "premium" subscription to this site, like Salon Premium.

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I would probably never make the site exclude anyone that way. If anything, I would probably would like to raise enough funds to pay contributing members a small amount to write feature articles for the site. Nothing that will make anyone rich, of course, but at least it'll allow them to buy a lunch or two for their efforts.

Members will donate money and in turn I would use that money to pay for content so that there's something for the members to read. If they're happy with it, I get more donations and the cycle starts all over again. Hopefully it'll all be self sustaining.

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Originally posted by Kwicko:

Well, while not charging for the site or for access, what about charging for "features" -

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Originally posted by chrisisall:

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Originally posted by Kwicko:

Well, while not charging for the site or for access, what about charging for "features" -

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Yeah, charge for access to RWED... call it a "fight club" tax...


The laughing Chrisisall

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Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

However, perhaps this may still be an opportunity to develop some more income or other features, instead of waiting until the last minute to think of things, test them out, refine them.

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Hawaii Amazon Associates have been invited to re-enroll. Got this last night:

Dear Amazon Associate:

Earlier this month, Governor Linda Lingle vetoed the unconstitutional tax collection scheme passed by the Hawaii legislature in HB 1405. Because the effective date of that bill preceded both her veto and the legislature's veto override session, we had little choice but to end our advertising relationships with all Hawaii-based participants in the Amazon Associates Program. Now that the override session is over, and the legislature did not override Governor Lingle's veto of HB 1405, we would like to invite all Hawaii Associates whose accounts were closed due to the pending legislation to re-enroll in the Associates Program.

To do so, please click here. When asked to sign in, please use the same account username and password that were previously associated with your Associates account. To make your return to the Program as seamless as possible, when you re-enroll, your account information (login, store-ID, etc.) will be the same as it was prior to termination. For further information about re-enrollment, please click here for FAQs.

We appreciate your patience during this time and hope that you will re-enroll in the Associates Program. We look forward to working with you and other Hawaii-based Associates again. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Best Regards,

The Amazon Associates Tea,

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Originally posted by HollisGreen:
HollisGreen proclaims 'so... we are back, yes?'

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