Internet shoppers accustomed to tax-free purchases from Apple Computer's
iTunes Music Store soon may be in for an unpleasant surprise. State legislatures
and tax officials, eager to find new ways to boost government spending and curb
budget shortfalls, are eyeing the burgeoning market for digital downloads as a
potentially lucrative source of revenue.
A CNET News.com analysis shows that 15 states and the District of Columbia
now tax downloads of music, movies and electronic books. Some high-tax states
such as California do not levy the same charge on iTunes downloads, but that
could soon change.
This means that more Americans will be obligated to pay more on April 17 because
of a concept known as the use tax. If your home state taxes digital downloads,
those levies are generally collected either when purchases are made or on tax
day, depending on the location of the Internet retailer.
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