[Milsurplus] Taxes

Thu Mar 11 20:01:52 EST 2010

Up until I retired and moved to Arizona, I had attended the MIT Flea 
since it began. In the early days there was a lot of Ham Gear available, 
but after the money-grubbers in Cambridge City Hall sank their hooks 
into the event, that seemed to change.
Not sure what has gone on since 2007, but the Junk peddlers were the
pre-eminent sellers. Lots of computer stuff, even Doll and Jewelry 
peddlers.
I also got a laugh out of the presence of the Fire Department, but then 
everyone has to "wet their beak".
But, considering the number of Sellers and Flea entrants, the guys running 
that Flea must be bringing in some serious coin.

73, Dick, W1KSZ

> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:00:02 -0800
> From: jfor at quik.com
> To: w6dq at att.net
> CC: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Taxes
> 
> A similar thing happened to the MIT UHF RA fleas in Ca,mbridge, MA. Now
> the City of Cambridge gets a big chunk of the seller space fees, and I
> think that the Cambridge requires a fire detail in a solid concrete
> parking garage.
> 
> -John
> 
> =============
> 
> 
> > George, California is already there ... has been for some time for at
> > least one of our swaps ....
> >
> > Here in the LA area we have had the infamous "TRW Swap Meet" for a long
> > time.  I started going back in the mid 70's when it was first come first
> > serve for sellers - no fees.  I used to buy and sell regularly back then.
> >
> > Several things have changed with that venue.  As time went on, it became a
> > general flea market rather than a ham swap meet.  People were selling
> > everything - clothes, toys, and other non-radio stuff.  Wanting to keep it
> > radio-relevant, the organizers (TRW Ham Club)  began requiring that
> > sellers have a ham license and around that time started charging for
> > spaces to sell.  They enforced the rule that you sell only radio-related
> > stuff.  Admission was (and still is) free.  I did not mind that -- and it
> > kept out the riff-raff.
> >
> > Sometime around 2000 the uberlords of Redondo Beach (TRW home town) showed
> > up and decided they need a cut of the action and demanded that sellers
> > obtain retail selling permits and pay city taxes.  It was soon after that
> > I stopped selling (for other reasons) but I had shared a spot with a
> > friend of mine who already had a retail sellers permit.
> >
> > Things have changed.  Everyone gets their cut today -- W6TRW (which I
> > really don't object to at all), State of California and the City of
> > Redondo Beach.  Like others have said, much of this stuff IS second hand
> > and should NOT be taxed multiple times. But that seems to be the American
> > Way anymore.  I seem to recall a little tune by the Beatles to that effect
> > ...
> >
> > A quick review of the swap meet's Web site --
> > http://w6trw.com/swapmeet/swapmeet.htm  --  rules and regulations state
> > that if you sell more than twice in a 12 month period, the Kalifornia
> > State Board of Equalization requires you to have a KSBE seller's permit.
> > And it looks like the City of Redondo Beach gets THEIR cut by charging
> > each seller a $5 monthy "event tax,"  included as part of the seller's
> > monthly fees.
> >
> > Needless to say, I don't attend very often anymore.  And there is still a
> > lot of non-radio detritus being sold off ....
> >
> > Don't know about other hamfest/swap meets in California, but at least this
> > one has encountered the taxman and he has won!
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > -dennis W6DQ
> > Fullerton, CA  DM13av
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: "gl4d21a at juno.com" <gl4d21a at juno.com>
> > To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
> > Sent: Thu, March 11, 2010 2:37:02 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Taxes
> >
> > Group:
> >
> > This issue came up in Texas related to garage sales.  IIRC, there is an
> > exemption for someone selling personal property fewer than X times per
> > year.  Don't recall what X is, but likely around 2 or 3.  The tax bunch
> > showed up at some Ham swapfest about the same time, one which I did not
> > happen to attend, and I hear that some of the sellers took down price
> > signs, stopped selling, and started giving away for free  low value items
> > whenever the taxers were in sight.  I think the issue was 15 or more years
> > ago, but with all the taxing entities bleeding red ink, look for it to
> > rear its ugly head again, and soon in places like CA.
> >
> > 73,
> > George
> > W5VPQ
> >
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