http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...701-story.html

Starting in September, Chicago residents will have to pay 9% more for the privilege of streaming movies on-line.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/C...lix-Tax-134367

Great city, run by total morons

Amusement Tax, I am going to start charging that to my employees when I catch them on their cell phones.

Every justification I've found for the concept of an "amusement tax" in the first place is pretty shaky, and this takes that overreaching to even greater extremes. When do we start throwing tea in the harbor?

why not cover their bases and add an unamusement tax?

Make people pay a surcharge if they cancel their Netflix accounts.

I would set up an account with my mom and pay her with a gift subscription and share that, before I would pay a tax to Chicago.

How sad. It seems like something you would see as an April Fool's joke.

Apparently this new charge applies to all forms of "amusement", including streaming video, music, and online video games. From what I understand, much like state taxes, this tax can only be enforced on business with a physical presence in the city's jurisdiction.

It would seem difficult to collect for most online sources, but what about XBox Gold membership cards sold at retail outlets?

Apparently Chicago is being run by the Thenardiers.

Cities and states have been heavily taxing cable services for years. Governments see the writing on the wall, they want to get tax revenues from younger viewers that are complete cable cutters. Most states have specifically implemented a tax for Directv despite having zero presence and using no services in most states.

please dont let Massachusetts find out about this.

PhantomStranger -- this is along the lines of my first thought. Wouldn't this be a double-tax since people are already taxed on their internet service?

Is the tax based on the home address you provide Netflix? It will be interesting to see how this affects their subscriber rates in Chicago. What about Amazon Prime?

I travel to Chicago a few times a year, will I be taxed for watching Netflix there?

So how are they going to tax over the air broadcasting? Internet forums such as this? What about masturbation? All seemingly free amusements ...

I already pay tax on my subscription, so welcome to the club.

Legislatures don't care if they double tax or not, many jurisdictions charge what is called an entertainment tax on top of whatever access tax is charged.

I would guess the tax will be charged to what home address you provide Netflix.

Does this affect the Burbs? I'm on the south side of Chicago.

... in St. Louis on vacation?

Damnit ... There is an Illinois between Chicago and Missouri!!!!

Kids...are you noticing all this plight?