PHILADELPHIA: CITY OF BROTHERLY TAXATION?

Two hundred and thirty-four years ago, a group of men met in Philadelphia and signed a document declaring independence from England. That declaration began years earlier as a protest against taxation. Today, it’s Philadelphia itself in the gun-sight.

The city of Philadelphia is demanding bloggers buy a business privilege license and pay taxes on trivial amounts of money (like $11). It is now time to ask some questions:

1. Is the blog being written “in” Philadelphia?

2. How is it determined that a particular blog is INTENDED to be a “commercial” activity?

How do we determine if it IS a commercial activity?

3. If a blog is a business activity because it generates ANY income, what about the person who comments upon the blog who generates income for themselves?

4. What about the person who comments upon a non-commercial blog but DOES generate income for the “commenter?” Is THAT person required to buy a license and pay a tax to Philadelphia?

These questions can go on and on, but a better questions is whether Philadelphia wants to be known as such a commercially unfriendly city, that it drives away the very people who may, eventually, legitimately contribute to its tax revenues. I know what my answer is . . . now it’s your turn!