As legislators struggle to close a 2.6 billion hole in this year’s budget, perhaps part of the solution might be to close loopholes like the billion dollar tax dodge Microsoft has been exploiting. More information at MicrosoftTaxDodge.com.
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This was great. After listening to my district legislators’ take on our state budget debacle, we need to get rid of tax loopholes in our revenue system. For more information on these loopholes you can go to the legislative site and look for JLARC. I understand the full document is there.
I’ve always been puzzled (and angered) at Microsoft’s criticism of our public schools but I have never seen them stop forward to actually fund our schools at an adequate level.
Just last year Microsoft was asking for another exemption: they didn’t want to pay sales tax on their server farms in eastern Washington and threated to move them to Iowa. I understand they are located in Washington to take advantage of the low power rates here.
If the tax loophole is closed, why wouldn’t microsoft move to a more tax friendly state?
With the internet and stuff these days, you would think right-wing republicans like bill gates wouldn’t try to get away with not paying taxes and expecting more tax breaks for the rich.
it is not the responsibility of bill gates to bail out washington state.
microsoft’s income is best spent in job creation, not handing it over to the state.
I’ve always been puzzled (and angered) at Microsoft’s criticism of our public schools but I have never seen them stop forward to actually fund our schools at an adequate level.
why throw money at a failing system? money will not solve the problem.
Perhaps Daddy Love or Don Joe, both of whom have “progressive” opinions on many subjects, including this state’s revenue woes, would like to weigh in on this one?
Ok, one the ONE hand we don’t want to pull a “Boeing Union” thing and drive out one of our biggest employers. So we have to go carefully.
On the OTHER hand, Microsoft is being dishonest and just plain cheating and lying and THEY should be ashamed of themselves. This is the same scam I would get in trouble for if I FAKE registered my car in Oregon so I didn’t pay Washington fees. Microsoft doesn’t make it’s software in Nevada. Maybe what they’re doing is technically legal by some vague bullshit law, but it’s DISHONEST and just bullshit that every OTHER business (like me) has to pay state taxes but they can fake/lie their way out of it.
While we don’t want to kill the Golden Goose and all, they should be ASHAMED of themselves for just being so openly dishonest.
#3 This isn’t about the State budget and whether we need this money or not…it’s not about bailing out the state, it’s about cheating. If you have your business here, you pay OUR taxes. If you want to pay Nevada or Wyoming taxes, move your business THERE! Now there’s a REASON Boeing, Microsoft and others haven’t relocated to Wyoming or Mississippi…there’s more than taxes to running a company. Otherwise Wyoming would be the financial hub of the nation and the biggest job market. But it’s not.
Avoiding taxes legally is not just legal, it’s an American tradition. You seem to forget this country was formed fighting against taxes and gun control.
#7 Fine, but what makes these “fight against taxes” people retarded and crazy, is that they fight against the taxes, but STILL want all the “stuff”…police, fire, libraries, high tech jet fighters, submarines, a nuclear arsenal, Medicare, social security. They want “stuff” they just don’t want to pay for it. Feel FREE to vote for someone who will cut the military, social security or Medicare in half…good luck. But EVERYONE wants their taxes cut in half. I’m FINE with cutting my taxes in half, but then you have to shut down HALF the parks, give up HALF the military, cut HALF of Medicare. Find me ANY Republican who will cut half of the military (nearly 1/3 of our budget). Good f**king luck. IDIOTS!
As for Microsoft (and others). Like all humans they’re just greedy bastards. They want “stuff” and don’t want to pay for it. Companies wants the pool of resources that comes from being in Seattle…but they want to pay the taxes from a infrastructure wasteland unpopulated state like Wyoming or Nevada.
2. Marvin Stamn spews:
One man’s loophole or tax dodge is another man’s rightful opportunity.
So now Goldy is going after Microsoft???
Too dang funny.
It’s actually pretty good timing since Microsoft has a huge infrastructure investment here….or do they??
Doesn’t Microsoft LEASE a lot of their property?
Better find out before you go after them Goldy.
I’ll bet Bill Gates is pleased Goldy the TaxKlown is so desperate he goes after a true Liberal.
Would Microsoft leave Washington if this “Tax Dodge” as Goldy calls it is closed…or if Washington goes after Microsoft for back taxes??
Will be fun to watch what happens.
Keep pushing Goldy!
Watch this MicroSoft Tax Dodge issue disappear reaaaaaaaaaal quick.
3. platypusrex256 spews:
I’m with you 100%.
And that is true of every other business in Washington.
Only problem is KLOWNS view the Private Sector as a Kash Kow for their constant money wasting BrainFarts like the dumbass Tunnel…Which BTW
THE TUNNEL WILL FLOOD IF THE GLOBAL WARMING KLOWNS YOU HA’ers WORSHIP ARE RIGHT!
Idiots.
6. Alki Postings spews:
Boeing has 3 buildings full of attorneys. They helped write the law. I suspect they are on solid ground going back. All the Democrats & Gregoire can do is change the law going forward.
They won’t BECAUSE MICROSOFT IS THERE KIND OF FOLKS!!
@1 Microsoft’s (and the Gates Foundation’s) efforts in education have been pretty much self-serving. Most of the “revolutionary” changes to schools they recommend seem to involve the use of more and more computers, and involve curricula that appear designed to condition kids to become consumers of technology, rather than creators of technology or alternatives to it.
It should go without saying that in addition, if Boeing’s not going to scratch Washington’s back, our leaders should stop so earnestly kissing its ass.
@8 re: taxes for stuff
actually i am not a big fan of any of that stuff. medicare, public schools, libraries and all the rest.
you might say that us libertarians live in a utopian dream world but you could say the same about the progressive left.
you can’t tax the fuck out of the successful business and continue to expect them to stay. look at boeing.
this is why microsoft doesn’t want the state to have its money: http://tr.im/H9Q8
any logical arguments against this are welcome =)
leave great washingtonians like bill gates & glenn beck aloooone!
I don’t think trying to “close this loophole” is going to raise any tax money. Microsoft, like most big corporations in this state, knows how to play the B&O game well. If the state figures out a way to impose the B&O tax here, they will just threaten to take their ball and go elsewhere, until they get the tax breaks which ensure they pay little or no B&O tax.
It’s a defect inherent in the B&O system – because they tax gross revenues, each industry has to have a different tax rate which matches it’s business model, leaving ample opportunities for lobbyists to play games with the rates.
Now, if the hope is to show up the total absurdity of the current B&O system which penalizes small and medium-size business start-ups, but rewards large mature businesses, then this campaign might have a point. We need a rational tax system here, which must include an income tax and discarding the B&O tax (and most of the sales tax) completely.
All of the above notwithstanding, I tend to doubt that Chairman Bill would appreciate being lumped in any classification with Beck the Buffoon.
@ 17 I have to disagree with you. What we need is to get the government out of some things, such as prosecuting drug offenders and a host of others. We could use a healthy dose of charter schools, many more nurses and midwives, an open transportation market and maybe a means test for those wanting to use the state colleges as a way of staying out of the work force while they spend time playing.
something to consider: bill gates does charity better than the state ever could.
reflect upon this.
Bill Gates Political Campaign Contributions by (1999 to Present) – $285,108 REPUBLICAN:29% DEMOCRAT:35%
Microsoft should stop feeding at the teat of state government welfare.
@21
But wait, I thought liberals couldn’t run a business…
Or to show how large, mature businesses use the B&O system to discourage competitors and operate virtual monopolies.
22. lauramae spews:
Spoken like a true Native American Marxist!!
You seem to believe the money belongs to the government…and then you of sovereign nation status get your hunk.
Shame on you!
KLOWNS–
Microsoft, theu it’s Lobbyists, helped write the friggin’ law. And the Democrat Governor signed it.
Duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey you Texas whomper, I’m just repeating the type of garbage assholes like you spew. The biggest suckers of government benefits have always been large business. Getting out of paying the same rate of taxes that a mom and pop store pays is welfare. Conservative clowns like yourself refuse to see that. Tax breaks and TARP for the big wigs, cake for the rest of you.
Poor people, middle income people are supposed to suck it up and deal, but shithead corporations like Boeing and Microsoft can do whatever the fuck they want. That’s not capitalism, idiot. THat’s government welfare. Get out of paying the taxes small business has to pay? that’s government welfare and it costs more than all the state workers put together. Fuck you.
lauramae–
Boeing & Microsoft pay plenty of taxes.
They also create jobs.
Marxist idiots like you seem to believe that a share of earnings automatically belong to the government. That Tax Deductions are like stealing.
The Tribes have the best of both worlds..Sovereign Nation, Government Handouts.
But it’s never enough.
Big Government has deluded you into believing what’s mine is yours.
Grow up and Wise Up.
The tribes keep many of their people in poverty while the Chief & his relatives control assets.
You are living in a glass house LauraMae.
Take care of your own mess first.
If anyone here actually has an interest in higher education you may want to take a look at this site http://blogs.reuters.com/felix.....-colleges/
@27 lauramae spews: Getting out of paying the same rate of taxes that a mom and pop store pays is welfare.
this is completely and utterly false. it is clear to me that you do not understand taxes or welfare.
not paying taxes is not like collecting welfare because that money does not legally belong to the state.
does anybody else here notice that bill gates donates more money to charity than any of us will ever make in our entire lifetime? just throwing that out there like a ‘oh mabye bill spends his money better than the state ever could’
Actually a lot of businesses don’t really pay all of their taxes. The Department of Revenue has many tax disputes with large businesses every year. Unfortunately rather than collecting the full amount even in slam dunk cases department staff are frequently asked to settle, often for pennies on the dollar.
The state is leaving a huge amount of tax money on the table even without closing all of the crazy loopholes and exemptions that have been created over the years.
BTW if you think the tax breaks for high-tech companies are bad you should take a look at the breaks aerospace or timber and wood products get.
Sad.
Sad that you consider keeping more of the money you earn to be considered welfare.
Besides, don’t liberals love welfare?
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