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Does the name Charles Calderon ring a bell? He may not be familiar, but anyone who buys digital downloads probably isn't crazy about the guy. The democrat California assemblyman introduced the controversial "iTunes tax" bill (AB 1956), which was shot down in the spring. The bill basically called for an added tax on digital media sales, and asked the Board of Equalization to declare digital content taxable.
The bill didn't get through the first time, but Calderon hasn't given up on the dream. He introduced yet another iTunes tax bill for consideration -- this time, he introduced it (ABX3 22) during the extraordinary session, at a time when the state is embroiled in a budget crisis. One key difference between this bill and the last one, is that because it was introduced as a special session bill, there's a lot more time for it to get shot down. The fundamental problems with the proposal are all the same. For one thing, it would penalize the few rare customers who legally buy movies and music online while file swappers would get away scot-free. It could also push entertainment companies to flee the state. Full Story http://blog.wired.com/business/2008/08/take-2-on-the-c.html
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