Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

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Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by timtosino »

I guess it essentially means we'll pay the same as if we bought the stuff in Oregon. This would apply to TRU, Wal-Mart, Target etc. as well. Hopefully retailers will honor this:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columb ... ption.html
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by Brickbaron »

Thanks Tim.

I had no idea this was in the works with the HST. That would be a pretty good savings, if we can apply that to Lego :lol:

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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by soundwave »

as i mentioned in the other feed. we will also have to pay HST instead of GST at the border...
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by Gumby »

soundwave wrote:as i mentioned in the other feed. we will also have to pay HST instead of GST at the border...
If taxed at the border, don't we have to pay PST + GST (which essentially will become HST) now anyway?

At the very least, we won't have to pay HST on top of retail price + WA sales tax. Having to pay tax on top of tax was always a ridiculous concept to me.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by soundwave »

some items you may have to pay both, but Lego only got dinged GST.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by beethead »

So was anyone patient enough for some cross-border shopping today? Any luck with not paying Washington state sales tax? I was listening to the news this morning on the radio and they just had a quick blurb saying WA retailers were still going to charge BC'ers the sales tax.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by chump »

My brother in law was mentioning that it's always been the case that WA retailers can not charge out of Country residents/citizens (not sure which), it's just that implementing it and having your employees be aware and do it are another thing. He went down to go buy a snowblower or something. When it came down to paying, he asked is that the best you can do. The retailer of the smaller store knew that my brother in law had been to one of the bigger box stores. So he asked my brother in law whether he had proof of being in Canada. The retailer then filled in the appropriate paperwork and discounted the tax. By having WA state tell them retailers, it gives Canadians more incentive to shop South of the border. However, I imagine, it's not quite like HST and the retailers will still have to be "reminded" to not charge the tax.

Don't know how it's going to work with online retailers and shipping to Point Roberts.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by AC »

As far as I know there have been two or more groups in Washington that have filed a complaint with Washington State to stop the tax exemption for us. They are complaining that another countries policies should not dictate theirs. They are really saying they don't want to loose the 8 million or so (I think that is the # I heard on the radio) a year in taxes they collect for us. No tax free Lego for us at least till they get that sorted out. The earliest they said it would be resolved is July 9th.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by Gumby »

From http://www.news1130.com/news/local/arti ... c-shoppers:
BELLINGHAM (NEWS1130) - The tax exemption for B.C. shoppers that was going to take effect July 1 in Washington State has been temporarily blocked by a judge at the request of the city of Bellingham and Whatcom County.

When the announcement was made on June 8 by the Washington Department of Revenue, local governments reacted in shock. Many did not like the idea of a foreign government being part in their policy making.

Ken Oplinger with the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce says the city of Bellingham and the county are fighting the tax break because it will cost them $3 million in revenue in the first year.

"City of Bellingham and Whatcom County filed suite against the state of Washington on the imposition of this new mandate. The judge that heard it agreed with them that there needs to be a moratorium put in place, so that arguments could be heard."

Oplinger says for small cities and counties the exemption was going to be a substantial hit to their bottom line, but it's nothing personal against Canadians.

The judge has blocked the tax break until at least July 9th, when the case will be heard in court, at which point the judge will make a determination whether the block will be held in place, or whether they will go ahead and lift it.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by AC »

3 million or 8 million what's the difference. 5 mill petty cash. rotflol
So I was wrong. Once in 38 years is not bad. rotflol
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by chump »

In the Vancouver Sun it said that this judge blocking the exemption doesn't stop retailers from offering the exemption if they choose to. And that stores like Target at Bellis Fair will be honouring it for the time being.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by soundwave »

if the current ruling stands it will be a loss for Whatcom county, however Bellevue is in King County so they should still be tax free. They are not relient on cross border shopping so it is unlikely that they will cause a fuss.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by beethead »

soundwave wrote:if the current ruling stands it will be a loss for Whatcom county, however Bellevue is in King County so they should still be tax free. They are not relient on cross border shopping so it is unlikely that they will cause a fuss.
OK, so the really big question here is who's been to the Lego store in Bellevue and bought something without being charged WA state sales tax after showing their Canadian ID?
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by chump »

I guess it's entirely possible that one of us has gone down to Bellevue in the last 47 hours, but I would imagine that it would be simpler to phone down to the store and ask.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by DeGobbi »

wouldn't it be easier just to call them ?
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by timtosino »

a Court just stopped this practice for the time being. They have until the 9th to decide what is going to happen.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by timtosino »

Sorry I ment to clarify that the Ruling was in Snohomish County, but I guess it's state wide if they can't do it in Whatcom either. I' m going down to Bellvue this week and I doubt they'll give me the Tax Break.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by soundwave »

hey Tim, if you go down text me if they have anything good at the pab.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by timtosino »

sure thing, won't get around there til mid week. I am planning ot scoop up an Imperial Flagship, they said they have them in stock now!
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by Pascal »

""Many did not like the idea of a foreign government being part in their policy making.""

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by chump »

pascal wrote:""Many did not like the idea of a foreign government being part in their policy making.""

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
I'm not quite sure what citizen in any country wouldn't agree with that statement. Then again, aren't they the ones that made the policy in the first place?
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by Pascal »

I think it is a somewhat ironic comment considering how often the US puts it's nose into others business...
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by chump »

I was trying to be diplomatic and not say that explicitly. Anyways, isn't today the 9th? I didn't see any mention of the judge's ruling on the nightly news.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by chump »

I was at Bellevue Mall yesterday.... at midnight.

I went down to go see a theatre show in Seattle in the Chinatown district. We got there a little too late to head over to Bellevue. Upon coming home, I saw on the map this thing called the I90 Express which looked like it connected to the I-5, but no, it hurled me over to Bellevue mall. So an hour of extra driving as I headed back on the 405 to reconnect.

So close, yet so far.
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Re: Bellevue Lego Store Purchases now WA Sales Tax Free?

Post by timtosino »

I just got back from Seattle on Thursday, as I signed up for my VIP Card finally. They mentioned nothing of the tax exemption when I showed them I was from BC. However Ross for Less and Nordstorm Rack are honoring the policy despite the ruling.
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