Philadelphia bloggers to start paying business taxes?

    Philadelphia bloggers are buzzing with anger over reports that the city expects each of them to get a three hundred dollar business license and start paying business taxes.

    Philadelphia bloggers are buzzing with anger over reports that the city expects each of them to get a three hundred dollar business license and start paying business taxes. But fears of a city crackdown may be overblown.

    Michaelangelo Ilagan writes for Geekadelphia, and he can’t believe the city would force bloggers to pay taxes like a traditional business.

    Ilagan: They’ve been doing it for free, providing news and publicity for arts, entertainment, dining, nightlife, and now they’re going to get taxed on it.

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    The blogosphere burst into fury after City Paper wrote about a blogger who got a letter from the city revenue department saying she had to get a $300 business license and pay taxes because she accepts a few dollars worth of ads.

    City officiaLs say yes, it’s technically true that blogs that accepts ads qualify as a business, but they insist they aren’t targeting bloggers.

    Revenue officials say they do send letters to people who report business income to the IRS and aren’t registered with the city.

    Bloggers who pay federal taxes on other freelance income could be contacted.

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