A bit of a dust-up in Philadelphia over the so-called "Blog Tax." The city requires a $300 Business Privilege tax from anyone doing anything for profit, even if they don't actually make a profit. Who might that be? Well, check out this helpful diagram:
So in Philly, if you put Google AdSense on your catswhoscrapbook blog, and rake in $0.50 over the course of a year, you gotta pay up, winding up with a net profit of -$299.50. Says the man behind the music blog Circle of Fits, quoted in the Philadelphia City Paper:
Personally, I don't think it's a business...it might be someday if I start selling coffee mugs, key chains or locks of my hair to my fans. I don't think blogs should be taxed unless they are making an immense profit.
On his blog, he says he's been spared so far:
Nobody has come for the 300 bucks that I don't have yet.
Supporters say bloggers have no reason to complain—freelance writers are being hit too. What do you think? Fair or not?
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