[Milsurplus] Taxes

[Don Davis]

Dennis got it about right.

The small, single space rental fee is $15 which includes the Redondo 
Beach $5 fee.  RB charges residents a fee to host a garage sale on their 
own proerty as well.  There is no seller / vendor permit required other 
than the permit issued by W6TRW.  Yes, in California you need a Resale 
Permit if you engage in the business of selling.  Twice a year at swap 
meets - but they have to catch you!  Nobody at W6TRW is  responsible for 
your CA state obligations.  They are not cops..  The fare is all ham 
radio realted - includes computer stuff as well, yes.  The remaining $10 
funds activities for W6TRW members exclusively.  Period.  W6TRW operates 
under the auspices of Northrop Grumman (X-TRW), and has to follow a lot 
of strict rules, so W6TRW folks may seem pretty demanding at times.

Personal opinion only,

 Don Davis  AD6PB
Proud member of W6TRW  (30 years!)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "RICHARD SOLOMON" <w1ksz at q.com>
To: <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 5:01 PM
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Taxes


>
> 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