taxes

Court rules you probably shouldn't rely on your dentist for tax advice

adamg — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:07:42 +0000

A federal appeals court today upheld the 3-year prison sentences given a Cape couple who stopped paying their federal taxes on the advice of their dentist.

The US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston ruled today that Frederick and Kimberlee Allen not only got a fair trial in 2010 on charges they didn't pay any taxes between 1999 and 2008 despite annual income of more than $100,000, but that the judge in their trial made a point of telling the jury it could not convict them if they really believed they were acting in good faith, despite warnings from the IRS and the conviction of the alleged financial planner who later took on advising them on tax matters after they agreed their dentist knew what he was talking about when he said they didn't owe the government a dime:

In this case, the Allens claimed that, in general, ordinary wage earners were not subject to tax on their income because the Internal Revenue Code did not say they were liable. Improbable though their profession of belief may seem, the jury was instructed up, down and sideways that they were entitled to be acquitted if they held this belief in good faith. The jury did not credit them on what is an issue of fact, namely, the sincerity of their professed beliefs.

Boston woman files $10-million lawsuit against AT&T over taxes on her iPhone Internet service

adamg — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:39:15 +0000

Leslie Rock, a Beacon Hill resident who pays AT&T roughly $30 a month to connect her iPhone to the Internet, today filed a class-action lawsuit in US District Court in Boston that charges the company is illegally collecting taxes on the service.

In her complaint, Rock seeks to establish a class of Massachusetts residents who, collectively, are owed $10 million because federal and state law prohibits taxes on Internet services. However, the suit also alleges these "thousands of individuals" are being charged both state and local sales tax on the service even though Massachusetts cities and towns have no local sales taxes.

Complete complaint.

State revenue continues to imitate rock dropped from a cliff

adamg — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:06:23 +0000

Despite tax hikes.

Court: Massachusetts can't collect sales tax from stores in New Hampshire

adamg — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:13:32 +0000

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today the state can't force companies in New Hampshire to collect the Massachusetts sales tax on sales to Massachusetts residents (so New Hampshire can continue to proclaim Tax Free or Die).

City Council discusses tax increases; sign-holding candidate forced to take sign down

adamg — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:20:01 +0000

The Boston City Council discussed Mayor Menino's proposal to raise local meals and hotel-room taxes, but took no action on the plan so that its Committee on Government Operations can hold a hearing in August - standard procedure under council rules for new business.

Menino has proposed a 0.75% meals tax - on top of the 6.25% state tax going into effect on Saturday - and an increase of 2 percentage points in the current tax on hotel rooms. The council's Committee on Government Operations will host a hearing in early to mid August.

During the council discussion today, at-large candidate Doug Bennett, stood up behind councilors with a large "No New Taxes Mayor!" sign. Bennett argues with unemployment near 10%, now is the worst time to be raising any taxes.

On noticing the sign, council President Mike Ross "recessed the meeting and asked him to take the sign down," Reuben Kantor, Ross's chief of staff said. "So he did, and left." Bennett says he was kicked out; Kantor says he was simply asked to take the sign down.

Video of Bennett raising his sign.

Doug Bennett Needs A Tripod

GarrettQuinn — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:44:48 +0000

So Doug Bennett is at it again and this time instead of stickers on street lights it's holding up signs at city council meetings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFl1etwox4s

Doug really needs to get a steady cameraman or at least invest in a tripod.

Go buy lots of stuff now

adamg — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:03:39 +0000

Because the sales tax goes up to 6.25% on Aug. 1. Also, aid to cities and towns goes down.

Taxes up, services down under budget passed yesterday

adamg — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:42:49 +0000

The Globe has the details.

Globe Report on Hospitals, Charity, and Taxes

neilv — Sun, 31 May 2009 09:30:22 +0000

The Sunday Globe has a well-researched report on the value of tax exemptions and other financial breaks enjoyed by area hospital companies.

The piece gives context, and raises the question of whether hospitals should be paying more to the local government.

Hey, Therese, you're not particularly relevant to most people, either

adamg — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:11:00 +0000

The Outraged Liberal makes the case against Therese Murray.

Jay Fitzgerald hopes the governor doesn't go for her bait.

Taxed to death

zbert — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:36:58 +0000

Weren't "user fees" levied by governments known as "taxes" back in the day?
Well, no more of that. The Commonwealth is seeing a "light" at the end of a tunnel thanks to the invention of "user fees".

The Globe's headline writer and reporter Matt Viser are willing accomplices in spreading the myth that user fees are not taxes though, curiously, most of those quoted in the article itself refer to "taxes." Expect that language to change.

Shocker: A politician engages in politics!

adamg — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:25:09 +0000

Who knew the state legislature was full of such delicate flowers?

It's DeLeo's world and Patrick is just living in it

adamg — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:05:29 +0000

House passes sales-tax increase by veto-proof margin.

Mike Ball asks that you call your legislators and tell them that's meaningless without reform: Don't let those clowns think they've done enough!

The Outraged Liberal says Patrick could win the war for losing this battle: Patrick either ultimately gets the reforms he wants from the legislature or he has a ready-made issue to use against Republican Christy Mihos next year:

... Higher turnpike polls become lawmakers' problems and they will have hell to pay for the next round of MBTA service cuts and fare hikes. Not to mention they will own the crumbling roads and bridges.

Patrick's popularity numbers may be in the tank, but no politician has ever gone wrong running against the legislature or Congress. The beleaguered Patrick has put an important downpayment on his campaign by taking a stand here. ...

Blue Mass. Group has the roll call vote.

Gas tax? What's that?

adamg — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:39:34 +0000

House considers raising sales tax 40%, the Globe reports.

Legislature set to balance budget on the backs of the poor

adamg — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:39:17 +0000

The Outraged Liberal analyzes the apparent consensus in the legislature to raise just the sales tax, and that by 20%, even though that would hit the poor harder than people at the upper ends of the income spectrum.