The Official 356Talk Forum

I have really enjoyed attending and offering the Pre Mat parts at the Lit Meet for something like 15 years.
Last year, all of us who offer products got notification that we had to register with the state tax board for a 'off-site' license, regardless of whether we had been paying taxes on those sales or not; not being one to tug on Superman's cape, I had paid the taxes even though I hadn't charged them.
The process wasn't difficult (too much) and the fees weren't excessive (too excessive), so what the hell.
Today I get a notification that I must apply for a Los Angeles business license in order to conduct business there. For one day a year.
I will pay the fees and penalties for past attendance, but see ya later...

Ron, I guess you are referring to the vendor information here http://www.lalitandtoyshow.com/vendor-registration.html

and the paragraphs at the bottom #2 and #3. I don't see anything about a Los Angeles license being required. Somehow did the City of LA send you a notification?

Government once again supporting a strong economy for the benefit of the citizens.

Perhaps someone can be more specific about what "licenses & fees"
are now required to sell items at the annual LA literature swap meet,
including specifics on how to acquire these licenses. This sounds like
an event killer to me for many who attend the literature swap meet.
Do these licenses and taxes apply to "used items" too? Good grief,
what is this world coming to!

CW

Brad Ripley wrote:I don't see anything about a Los Angeles license being required. Somehow did the City of LA send you a notification?

You will soon see something about that:

Charlie,
Check the Lit Meet application (and then the CA state web sites). There are exclusions, but since there are tax dollars at stake (and moonbeam want his choo-choo!), it's odds-on that you'll have to get a state license.
And it looks like LA wants its pound of flesh also.
Hey, Bruce! Maybe it's time to find an off-shore location...

C J Murray wrote:Government once again supporting a strong economy for the benefit of the citizens.

"If it Moves, Tax it. If it Keeps Moving, Regulate it. And if it Stops Moving, Subsidize it."

Sounds to me that this can be the death sentence for this event in LA, or anywhere else in CA.

They could move it to Scottsdale during auction week. That's always a great show...

I'm all for MOVING IT TO SCOTTSDALE, since I live in Scottsdale!
This insidious intrusion of governments at all levels is killing this
country!!

CW

As an afterthought, is anyone else considering NOT attending the
Literature Meet in Los Angeles this year due to this requirement to
pay sales taxes?

CW

As I read the detail in Ron's post the impact is likely larger on the venders (including you Charlie) than simply the cost to buyers paying a sales tax at the table. If venders then decide to stay away because of the cost of doing business there, then there will be less incentive for buyers to go due to less product selection. It's really a closed loop business model.

Jeffrey Leeds wrote:As I read the detail in Ron's post the impact is likely larger on the venders (including you Charlie) than simply the cost to buyers paying a sales tax at the table.

Correct. For instance I now pay City fees to conduct business in San Francisco, over and above State sales taxes (which should be a pass-through). Now, it seems there will be additional City fees and more taxes, although the amounts are strangely missing from the form I was sent. I guess once you submit the form, THEY will decide how much you owe.
Like all costs, those will be applied to the product pricing. If this is truly required, Precision Matters tables will be available for a new vendor in 2017; I don't want to add costs for the pleasure of one day's receipts in Los Angeles.

This is a typical example of politicians increasing taxes only to find that they get less revenue in the end. Haven't these buffoons ever heard of Art Laffer? It's the same crap over and over and over again yet the voters never learn.

I wonder what the financial impact would be if the Lit Meet moved
out of California. No sales taxes from the activity at the meet, no
hotel/motel revenue and room taxes from all those attendees who
no longer attend, no restaurant and bar income for the hotels and
related businesses, no gasoline sales from all those who drive to the
lit meet, no airline fare income from those who fly in to LA for the meet,
and I'm sure you all can add more tax revenue sources that will dry up
for LA and California if the Lit Meet moves somewhere else! Maybe the
organizers should send letters to the taxing authorities warning them
of the consequences of their taxing the Lit Meet! The Lit Meet contributes
enough to LA and California!!

CW