Philadelphia Charging Bloggers $300 for Business License

[fozzy360]

This is just one example of the complete disconnect between government and reality...and logic. Seriously, how in the hell can they call a blog a personal business? How? This reminds me of this little situation in Los Angeles where small business owners have to purchase a permit costing a few hundred dollars in order to have signs on their storefront windows.

 

[Daemascus]

Ouch... This must be a nasty surprise to the bloggers...

 

[subject_87]

...Okay, my hometown has now gone completely insane.

But hey, we still have the cheesesteaks.

 

[AngryMongoose]

Or, y'know, you could not rob people blind for exercising their right to free speech.

 

[pneuma08]

Way to staunch developing technology, Philly!

As a blogger myself, I think this is a terrible idea. Everyone knows that ads very rarely pay out, and even then it's not enough to actually buy anything (except maybe some food).

What an idiot.

Edit: Since most free blog services put ads on the page, wouldn't you then have to pay for a license (even if it is the host's ads and not yours)? The city would be silencing your right to free speech. Or does it not work that way? Either way, this law will probably not last very long.

Yeah, it doesn't really work that way. You have the right to not be censored, not the right to put it on the internet. Same with the guy who was talking about poll taxes, those are illegal because one has a right to vote, and if they can't afford to vote because of taxes then the state is basically stripping peoples' rights. It's different because access to the internet - let alone having a presence on the internet - is certainly not a fundamental right.

While not illegal, what this legislation will do is staunch technology. People in Philadelphia will stop blogging or move out of the city rather than buy an overpriced license. Philadelphia blogging will go down, and Pennsylvania revenues will not see any significant increase. In fact, it's possible that the city won't see a single cent from this initiative since all bloggers have to do is move to a nearby suburb to escape taxation - and if this happens enough, the city may even see a decrease in revenue since they're no longer taxing those people for housing.

It just doesn't make sense. I have no idea how this could possibly benefit the city.

 

[Kavic86]

Yeah, this is what I would do. I won't pay and I'd take it to court. Yes that 300 turns into 3000 or more but it will stop this mess in its tracks I'd be willing to take the hit so that countless others don't get forced into throwing 300 bucks away for a licence they don't need. Another thing they need to do is get a large group of bloggers together and head to the court house and start duking it out and get this stupid law removed.

 

[Ninonybox_v1legacy]

damnit....our state used to be so good at keeping things on the downlow.....now where hiching our skirts up and screaming for attention.....if you will excuse me saying so.

 

[For.I.Am.Mad]

Luckily I live in Jersey. South Jersey, the real New Jersey. I thought Philadelphia was trying to become the epicenter of tech on the east coast, you're not helping with this stupid scheme. Hmmm, tomorrows papers should be interesting.

Anyway, GO PHILLIES!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Unfortunately, Philadelphia has spent decades running itself into the ground with crooked politicians, scandals, corruption and nepotism. (I should know; I grew up in New Jersey, where state government tries very very hard to be even worse.) It wouldn't surprise me if this was a desperate money grab to help prop up the city coffers. Drowning man, floating stick, et cetera. I mean, apparently for next year's budget, the mayor is proposing a 2-cent-per-ounce tax on "sugary drinks" and a $300 yearly trash fee.

 

[For.I.Am.Mad]

Unfortunately, Philadelphia has spent decades running itself into the ground with crooked politicians, scandals, corruption and nepotism. (I should know; I grew up in New Jersey, where state government tries very very hard to be even worse.) It wouldn't surprise me if this was a desperate money grab to help prop up the city coffers. Drowning man, floating stick, et cetera. I mean, apparently for next year's budget, the mayor is proposing a 2-cent-per-ounce tax on "sugary drinks" and a $300 yearly trash fee.

What are you talking about, taking over Atlantic City was a great idea.

 

[Booze Zombie]

In wise words of Heavy:
Stupid, stupid, stupid!

 

[Ih8pkmn]

wow. The internet is going to be fast running out of facepalm pictures if this kind of thing keeps happening.

Am I the only one seeing the Irony in that an outrageous tax like this is being posted in Philidephia, the same city where this kind of thing was protested 200 years ago?

I just hope my relatives aren't affected. I have family in the City of Brotherly Bureaucracy, but I don't know if they blog.

Either way, I smell a class-action suit.

 

[joystickjunki3]

This is ridiculous.

 

[dietpeachsnapple]

*ponders this*

A billboard... taking up physical space... on city property... being rented out...

THAT is a business, definitely.

Hmmm...

A child on a street corner selling lemonade... Why is this NOT a business?

...

The internet provides opportunities to make money, and when adults make money, we consider them responsible for that income. However, restricting the methods of acquiring income can divest the affluent of desires to take risk and engage in innovative behaviors. In this case, the permits necessary to 'do business,' are far higher than those involved would ever make in the process.

What are the solutions?

Reduce the cost of permits for everyone? Well, the state needs that money for services and employee wages.

Create exempt categories? Perhaps, 'artists,' are liberated from these restrictions. However, this business wasn't art, it was the sale of advertisement space based on commission.

Perhaps a rebate system: if the proposed company does not make more per year than the cost of the permit, the cost of the permit is refunded.

Lastly, and perhaps least fair: the bloggers could ditch the advertisements and accept that they cannot earn money for their blogging behaviors without sponsorship.

 

[Aenir]

...are they insane? Why not tax kids running lemonade stands then? They're making money, aren't they? Who cares if its for charity, there's money!

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Heh, okay, so everyone moves out of Philadelphia, or hosts the server on an external server outside of Philly, problem solved. Way to go, idiots.

Silly lawmakers, intelligence is not for you!

The problem with this plan is that the location of the server has no impact on the fee as it is based upon the location of the proprieter of the "business", and not the disposition of their assets.

 

[randomsix]

This is a terrible idea and a great example of how overblown has the government become... and not only the U.S.

Not enough money, oh government? Lose some fat.

Too true unfortunately, and I would guess that most of the people making these laws have little to no familiarity with the environment they effect.