[Boatanchors] General Comments On Hamfests (Re: Timinium Hamfest)

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chuck Gallup" <k7nks at yahoo.com>
To: <Boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 8:27 PM
Subject: [Boatanchors] General Comments On Hamfests (Re:
Timinium Hamfest)


Hamfests can be great fun. The pleasure has dwindled down to
a low point for me, but I still go occasionally to ragchew
and think about the good old days. Not to sell, however.

The first nail in the coffin that started me to re-think
selling ham gear at hamfests was the intrusion of the greedy
slimeball state and local tax authorities that edged into
the seller/buyer actions with regard to sales tax
collections. Most new sales involve sales tax collection.
Subsequent sales of used equipment should be free from sales
tax unless you are a dealer. Even then I'm against charging
serial sales taxes. Finally I'm starting to notice a
rebellion of the masses bubbling up and we should encourage
that.

Second nail in the coffin was the change in attitude of some
of the attendees. I refer to the minor theft of parts, bits
and pieces. Its hard to tuck an 85 pound Boatanchor under
your hoddy or in your pocket. Its real easy to grab a
handful of SO239's and slip them out of sight. Had a husband
and wife team that cleaned me out of coax fittings at one
hamfest. One person diverted my attention and the other one
grabbed. I never noticed anything missing until much later.
Fortunately, the vast majority of hams are neat people and
the good far outweighs the bad element.

Next coffin nail was refusal to allow sales in the parking
area or from a tailgate. I've been told that the rules of
the space provider, such as a school, church, fairground,
etc forbid such sales. A discrete check into the policy at
one school revealed that they didn't care as long as you
didn't leave a mess in the parkng lot. Ditto for a flea
market. Maybe the admission needs to be collected at the
entrance to the parking area instead of the building entry.
Gosh! That sounds like a greed issue again.

Do I even have to mention the sales of virtually anything
except ham gear. Computers, software, printers, ad nauseum
are vended in such quantity as to take over portions of the
sales arena. I do like sales of cookies, candies, hotdogs,
soda pop and other delectable cuisine, however.

Just a few idle thoughts,

Chuck, K7NKS

    The only thing I take any issue with is the nature of
sales taxes.  First of all, I don't like sales taxes because
they are about the most regressive tax there is, but
government likes them because they are not as obvious as
income tax.  Now to my point:  sales tax is, as the name
implies, a tax on _selling_. It doesn't matter what is sold
or whether it is new or used.  In fact antiques are taxed
when sold.  I do think its a bit heavy handed to collect tax
from individuals at a swap meet.  If you are in business,
i.e. have a business license and trade on a regular basis,
perhaps there is some justification for this but otherwise I
think its a mistake.  Of course, sales taxes must be
approved by the voters, at least in some way, so they can be
done away with.  However, then the revenue must be made up
in some other way.  If state or local income taxes are
instituted (assuming you don't already have them) or 
increased where they exist there will be bloody revolution,
however, its the most "honest" tax and is, or at least
should be, progressive.
     Enough politics.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk at ix.netcom.com