Hmmm....
And since we are already taxed for phone/telecomm usage, and corporations
are likely to be taxed for Internet usage (and are certainly taxed for
telecomm), is this not a frivolous tax?
I am only playing devil's advocate here. This is a toughy. Any reasonable
person could easily stand on either side of the line and view things in a
different light.
I am still looking for a compelling reason for the tax/fee. ICANN
operational costs are not good enough alone.
Keep up the banter...
Gene...
+++++
Hi Bill Lovell, you wrote on 6/20/99 7:39:21 PM:
>
>Gentlemen:
>
>I quote to you the following from a recent online news article:
>749 and a companion bill, S. 705 sponsored by Sen. John
>Ashcroft, R-Mo. - would revoke some of the fees that ICANN
>charges domain name holders.
>
>As one who had early on proposed providing a $1 fee to ICANN
>for each domain name registration -- at a time when ICANN was
>operating on a shoe string and surviving only afterwards by an
>influx of money from some big industry players -- I do so for the
>purpose of expressing my opposition to that legislation. One
>reason for such a fee is to provide a "thinned out" source of
>income so that ICANN could pay its bills without risk of it
>being "captured" by the big money, trademark holding, and
>monopolistic interests in the Internet world. It would not be
>a "tax," as the no-tax extremists would have it, but rather a
>user fee whereby those who use the internet pay for it.
>
>In a recent court decision, it was held that fees charged for
>acquiring handicapped vehicle license stickers were not a
>fee but a tax, but the reasons for that decision were (a) those
>needing handicapped licenses were not in that condition by
>their own choice; and (b) in any event, there was a specific
>statutory prohibition against imposing such fees. Those like
>myself who elect to acquire domain names on the internet
>do so by choice, as by choice we may also decide to visit
>Yellowstone National Park and pay a user fee there as well.
>There is nothing "tax-like" at all about a similar user fee in
>acquiring a domain name registration, and I hope that you
>will make it known -- amidst all the "Boston Tea Party"
>blather that has already hit the internet and that you will
>no doubt hear in Congress -- that not everyone who enjoys
>the fruits of the internet is quite that rabid.
>
>Thank you for your consideration.
>
>William S. Lovell
>17630 S. W. Butternut Dr.
>Aloha, OR 97007-3929
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
+++++++++++++++++++++
I'm very happy @.HOME
Gene Marsh
president, anycastNET Incorporated
