Oh happy day
Slashdot reports on a ruling that could really wreak havoc on those of us who work remotely - a telecommuter working for a NY State firm was told he had to pay NY taxes. Mind you, his home state was taxing him as well. Does this sort of thing mean that I can be taxed by Ohio, since Cincom is based there? Or perhaps California, since we have a lot of our engineering resources there, and my job as Product Manager involves setting development priorities? This is a disaster waiting to unfold...
Comments
Re: Oh happy day
[Tom Sattler] March 30, 2005 14:14:51.251
This is the most asinine thing I have ever heard in my entire life.
What is the possible justification for this? If I live in New Jersey, for example, and work in New York, then New York is sort of justified in taxing me. I would drive my car over roads located in New York, and they need to be maintained. I require police protection, and fire protection, and protection by the court systems, all of which cost money. True, I require these things only during working hours, but I do require them.
But if I am telecommuting, I don't require ANY services from New York. They do absolutely nothing for me. There is no justification whatsoever for taxing me.
I'd like to see this one go to the United States Supreme Court. I hope it does.
Nothing New
[Patrick Logan] March 30, 2005 14:24:46.389
This is nothing new or specific to telecommuters. I live in Oregon just over the river from Washington. There are plenty of people that communute either way.
Beyond that, Oregon has no sales tax and Washington has no income tax. When I shop in Washington I can show them my OR drivers license even way up in Seattle and get exemtped from their sales tax. On the other hand people who live in WA but work in OR are only partially exempt from OR income tax.
I don't think the income tax issue would be different if the WA employee worked from home all or most of the time. It would still be based on state of residence and state of employment.
So the question for you (James) and Cincom might depend more on where Cincom and your employment legally takes place than it does on whether you work in your pajamas from home. 8^)