[pianotech] business license?

[David Porritt]

Roger:

Texas has had sales tax forever but until October 2, 1984 there was no sales
tax on labor.  I called the state when I first started in business here
(1973) and was told not to get a sales tax number unless I planned to sell
things.  The man on the phone said that if I sold a piano bench to put it
down as labor.  He said, they didn't want to be bothered with businesses
that would send them $10.00 a quarter.  After 1984 when labor charges had to
add sales tax, I had to get a sales tax number and file returns.  That's
still the only state requirement.  

Each state is unique with respect to business licenses, permits etc.

dave

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Roger at Integra.net
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2011 6:31 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] business license?

Gary,
The statement that you contribute to society by paying state taxes is an 
admission that somebody must take the responsibility to have a business 
license to collect and forward the tax to the government agency. The reason 
I would question that no license would be needed for businesses in you area 
is to extrapolate that non-requirement for a large service or retail entity 
that might choose to move into your area. Could you imagine a local or state

agency choosing not to license a large building contractor (a service 
enmity) or a Walmart if they moved into your neighborhood? I'll be 
interested in your report about a license requirement when you connect up 
with the lady at city hall. Certainly a business and occupation (B&O) tax 
would be collected.
Roger Gable
P.S. In the state of Washington it is a crime to operate a business without 
a license.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary" <gmcc at charter.net>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2011 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] business license?


> Well Roger, I certainly contribute to society by paying my state and 
> federal taxes.   As I said, there's no tax on service work here, and I 
> don't have a shop or sell parts.
> I am not good at business at all, but    I will follow up on this.
>
> On 6/3/2011 4:26 PM, Roger at Integra.net wrote:
>> Gary,
>> A number of years ago there was a piano retail company located inside one

>> of our mega malls. I was asked to perform several floor tunings but 
>> couldn't get the owner to pay my bill. I inquired with the local city 
>> license department to find out the name of the owner. This retail company

>> had no city or state license. I called the state agency to inform them of

>> the situation and within a day or two the state seized his assets and 
>> shut him down. The incident created some local press and we never heard 
>> from him again. The mall operators had egg on their face when they 
>> discovered that they didn't check up on the legitimacy of their 
>> retailers. I consider any businessperson without a business license a 
>> fly-by-night entity. A license is a means to contribute to society via 
>> paying business and occupation taxes like the rest of us. I can't imagine

>> any state in the union where a business license isn't required by some 
>> level of government entity. You have an unfair advantage if you don't 
>> have a license.
>> Roger Gable
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary" <gmcc at charter.net>
>> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
>> Sent: Friday, June 03, 2011 12:18 PM
>> Subject: [pianotech] business license?
>>
>>
>>> I've just acquired a large church contract and they're asking me about a

>>> business license.  I've done this almost 40 yrs and haven't been asked 
>>> that before.  How many of y'all have a business license?
>>> gary
>>>
>>
>>
>
>