@5 Exactly, you have no idea what you're talking about. Since they most definitely have a presence in WA they have to, by federal law, charge sales tax to me and they definitely do charge me that tax. Now, sure they don't WANT to charge me that tax, but they have to and they so far have consistenly done so.
I'm waiting for the bill that cuts funding for central district administration while preserving funding at the school/classroom level. Let some admins making 115K+ look for new work and save 2-3 teachers for every overpaid administrator axed.
Given that the State Auditor has said that Seattle schools administration is larger than it should be (6% rather than the national average of 4-4 1/2%), those cuts should start there. And don't be fooled by SPS's "we cut 85 administration positions last year" - they cut 85 Central office, not administration positions. Some of them they renamed the positions and rehired people.
@6 There is a larger point that the state's revenue streams are easily subverted. It's mostly consumption (sales) tax based, as we all know. We also know that at least the western half of the state is very wired. I can't be the only one who saves hundreds, if not thousands, in taxes per year buying larger ticket items online. (If you live in Seattle & buy from Amazon, you're a fucking idiot. Same stuff @ same price available from dozens of other outlets w/out paying a 9.5% premium in addition to shipping.) The difference between shipping costs & sales tax generally favor buying online & paying shipping.
@13 The tax isn't a premium, I'm simply correctly paying a tax I should have to pay any online retailer. The fact that online retailers don't have to charge sales tax if they don't have a presence in your state has never made sense to me.
Problem solved.
The answer is that all schools should be converted to tunnels.
Someone has to say it.