Bolingbrook to tax the Internet
Internet hackers and activists call for boycott of Bolingbrook.
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On April 25, Village past a resolution supporting the taxation of the Internet. In the resolution, there was a section of text which was not read to the public. This text calls for the taxation of all Internet traffic, not just the collection of sales taxes.
According to this plan, uncovered by sources within the Information Technologies Commission, All Bolingbrook residents will be charged a fee each time they use the Internet. The plan doesn't stop there. Internet traffic that passes through Bolingbrook will be scanned, and a user will be picked at random, and charged the fee.
A source within the ITC, who we'll call Steve, explained the reasoning behind taxing non-Bolingbrook residents.
"(Mayor) Roger (Claar) likes to think of the Internet as Superhighway." said Steve. "It runs though Bolingbrook, but people can't get off, and spend money in Bolingbrook. That means we lose sales tax money. This fee simply compensates for the lost revenue. Plus if we get the money we expect to receive then Bolingbrook can eliminate the property tax!"
When asked if that was unfair, he replied, "Not really. If the Internet were a real highway, Roger is sure that some people would get off, and spend money in Bolingbrook. Right now they just don't have a choice."
Steve also didn't seemed concerned that it's currently against the law to tax the Internet.
"Roger is sure we'll win this in court. He feels the law unconstitutional, and will be quickly overturned. He said, 'Steve, the Tenth Amendment gives any power not specified in the Constitution to the States. I don't see taxation of the Internet mentioned in the Constitution.'"
We asked if Roger seemed to realize that the Tenth Amendment doesn't apply to Villages.
"He explained it to me this way." replied Steve. "'It works like this Steve. The state of Illinois gives Bolingbrook the power to tax anything with in its borders. The Internet is everywhere. Everywhere includes Bolingbrook. Therefore Bolingbrook, as an extension of the State of Illinois, has the right to tax the Internet. There's no way a court can defy that logic!' Hey, he had me convinced."
Reaction from the Internet community was swift.
"Mayor Roger Claar is a (Expletive Deleted) idiot!" said Rachel Tittel, of the Electronic Freedom Foundation, an Internet activist group. "His regressive tax will destroy the Internet economy. If he gets away with this, he'll open a flood gate of taxes. Who knows where it will end? Will Bolingbrook women be forced to pay a no-veil tax because their Internet packet went through Iran?"
Steve denied that the Internet tax is unfair.
"I agree with Roger. 'Regressive tax' is just a PC term used by people who want to screw the rich. Everyone pays the same tax, rich or poor. I think that's fair. Don't try to confuse me with that 'percentage of income' crap. If you can't pay the tax, then don't use the Internet!"
Bolingbrook's tax plan has drawn protests from the Internet community. The EFF has called for a boycott of Bolingbrook. Several hackers have threatened to attack bolingbrook.com, and the sites of any companies that do business with Bolingbrook.
"From major banks, to toilet paper makers, if you sell anything in Bolingbrook, we will destroy you!" read an anonymous Usenet post.
No board members would talk to The Babbler about this story.
When asked about the tax plan, Claar angrily replied, "There is no tax plan! How many times do I have to tell you that we're not going to tax the Internet! We just want to be able to collect the sales taxes from items sold over the Internet. Why do I even bother talking to you guys?"
Despite Claar denials, Steve says the software will be ready by July 5, and the Village will announce the tax shortly afterwards. Details will be posted at www.bolingbrook.com when the tax goes into effect.