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AcceptablePosition5 t1_jciyxv6 wrote

Reply to comment by flightwaves in New York lawmakers eye streaming tax, delivery fee by cddotdotslash

Neither of you put in a good argument.

Tax is used often to discourage behaviors with negative externalities, like piling tons of cars into Manhattan.

Not sure how that applies to streaming Netflix

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ephemeraljelly t1_jcj9cf1 wrote

so how are neither of us putting in a good argument if you dont even know how that applies to streaming? mind you im not arguing anything, im asking what would justify that tax

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AcceptablePosition5 t1_jcjuzmz wrote

My point was taxes on cars, like congestion charges, are not comparable in purpose to taxes on streaming, as far as I can surmise, unless there's a reason we should discourage streaming services.

In the former case, we want to discourage a behavior (diving in Manhattan). In the latter, it seems to be more about raising money

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flightwaves t1_jciz59g wrote

That would be true if there wasn’t a strict revenue target on that tax. But since there is, it’s not about discouraging behavior, it’s to raise revenue.

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AcceptablePosition5 t1_jcjupgb wrote

What strict revenue target? You mean expected revenue, the routine calculation for every tax enacted?

I'm not a fan of this tax either, but you're seeing patterns where there isn't any.

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flightwaves t1_jckeh6u wrote

Fifteen billion dollars.
That’s how much money the state legislature mandated the MTA must raise through congestion pricing — by leveraging annual revenue to borrow $15 billion for the transit agency’s current five-year capital program.

THAT strict revenue target. You're ignoring patterns where they are.

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AcceptablePosition5 t1_jcmcl88 wrote

Oh the congestion charges. Thought you meant the streaming tax.

Nice copy pasta. It's basically a stipulation for a loan to make sure the burden doesn't fall on the subway rider, or MTA doesn't back out of it, because again, excessive cars have a negative externality.

Look, it's pretty simple. Taxes raise money, and discourage unwanted behavior. I mean they could also just ban cars. Would that be better?

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drpvn t1_jcma8ga wrote

You should be watching less streaming video. This is the state looking after your best interest.

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chug84 t1_jcvahm2 wrote

>Tax is used often to discourage behaviors with negative externalities, like piling tons of cars into Manhattan.

Nah, that's just what dipshits like to think who can't apply critical thinking skills. Taxes have one purpose and one purpose only, to line the government's pockets.

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