California Wants Another Tax, And This Time, It Is Space Travel “By The Mile”
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By Dawn Luger
Living in California is already hard enough on those who are being taxed to the hilt. But the Golden State thinks that it needs to make sure they generate more income, and now the socialists in charge want to tax space flights by the miles traveled.
Although this seems like it could be a joke, it isn’t. This is actually being considered in California, and will likely pass based on the state’s history of expanding taxation. The politicians in the state seem to spend their time in two ways – taking away rights and freedom, and finding new ways to tax people. According to Zerohedge, they think they’ve found just the right thing to tax now, too.
California wants to collect taxes from space transportation companies based upon, a formula (that the state has invented, of course) of how frequently a company launches space crafts out of the state, and most absurdly, how far a commercial spacecraft travels from California soil. The only thing this will likely ensure is that space companies will run from California taking their money, and any “space tax” with them. This state has serious problems. The voters and politicians are destroying their own economy, and the worst part is, not many of them can even see it.
Currently, the space launches in California take place at Vandenberg Air Force Base, in Santa Barbara. The state of California’s politicians are now claiming that the space for 62 miles above the ground belongs to them, so they may tax it at will. But perhaps the most ridiculous part of this tax, is that the space companies are backing the tax, insisting it “clarifies” their tax status. Say what?
In a letter to the California Franchise Tax Board obtained by Quartz, SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen writes that “without the proposed regulation the standard apportionment rules are unclear as applied to space transportation companies. The proposed regulation provides certainty for us, as well as other taxpayers in the industry, for our California franchise tax filings going forward.” –Quartz Media
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