Chicago Gamers Will Have to Pay an Extra Tax on PlayStation Store Purchases Soon

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
Sony has given in to Chicago’s “Amusement Tax,” which calls for a 9% tax from digital entertainment services such as Netflix, Spotify, and Xbox. Starting November 14, residents should expect an increase on their PlayStation Store receipts, which include “PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Now, PlayStation Vue, PlayStation Music, PlayStation Video On Demand, and PlayStation Video Live Events.”

The tax isn't popular in the city of Chicago, but Emanuel says the taxes are necessary to shore up the city's pensions. Several companies like Apple and Netflix are taking action against the city for the taxes, but until any changes are made, PlayStation gamers are now subject to the same tax as other amusement activities.
 
Amusement Tax? - Doesn't seem that amusing. But to be fair, couldn't call it a 'Pleasure Tax', since console gaming and most streaming services are more taxing than pleasurable.

Better to have called it a 'Distraction Tax' - but would have to include smartyphones - a year's revenue would easily cover the city's pensions for a hundred years. Or six months after handling, administration and misappropriation charges.
 
Damn... this makes California seem sane.

Wait a minute... fuckers in the CA senate better not get any ideas from Chicago.

But seriously, if this isn't a reason to register your device to an address OUTSIDE of Chicago I don't know what is.
 
I'ma lel you finish, but taxing taxes is friggen taxtastic!

TAX IT! (That'll bring prosperity, right guys?)
 
  • Like
Reactions: N4CR
like this
shit, and i felt that stupid soda tax we got was asinine, Oh you like that? oh yah? let me tax that too... for pensions and schools you know... the regular stuff...
 
  • Like
Reactions: tului
like this
I can see people using their buddies outside the cities address as their credit card billing address. I wouldn't give Chicago a fucking dime if I had any way around it.
 
Basically cost you 9% to get lost in a game to forget for just a little bit, that you live in Chicago.

Everything in Illinois is just broken because of the terrible political leaders handing out government pensions when the state can't support it. Their property taxes are way out of whack with the rest of the Midwest.
 
shit, and i felt that stupid soda tax we got was asinine, Oh you like that? oh yah? let me tax that too... for pensions and schools you know... the regular stuff...
My guess is it's for the high % of gibs demographics but they're blaming it on pensions
 
Demos taxing businesses, jobs, the rich, the middle class and property owners out of illinois in hordes. They couldn't pass enough taxes to get out of the hole their politicians have put them in. They can't pay lottery winners, fix roads, remove trash. Last I read their pension fund was running a 28B deficit. Don't worry, drink more coolaid and be happy. Oh wait, they put a tax on sugary beverages too. And now gaming...
 
Thank god I moved away from that shitty state. Insanely high tax rates for just about everything and absolutely nothing to show for them.
 
Sony has given in to Chicago’s “Amusement Tax,” which calls for a 9% tax from digital entertainment services such as Netflix, Spotify, and Xbox. Starting November 14, residents should expect an increase on their PlayStation Store receipts, which include “PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Now, PlayStation Vue, PlayStation Music, PlayStation Video On Demand, and PlayStation Video Live Events.”

The tax isn't popular in the city of Chicago, but Emanuel says the taxes are necessary to shore up the city's pensions. Several companies like Apple and Netflix are taking action against the city for the taxes, but until any changes are made, PlayStation gamers are now subject to the same tax as other amusement activities.
I am not amused
 
Thank god I moved away from that shitty state. Insanely high tax rates for just about everything and absolutely nothing to show for them.


I think Chicago is about like NYC, just makes the rest of the state look bad. Anything think city states should be a thing?
 
Chicago people just elected J. B. Pritzker for governor. It's a guarantee that he will raise taxes by a huge amount. I'm not sure when the voters will stop shooting themselves in the foot, but it doesn't appear to be anytime soon.

https://www.politico.com/election-results/2018/illinois/
with the status of federal taxes and the deficit it is now on the states to provide many essential services as the federal government continues to take the derp pills. medicaid expansions specifically. Even Utah realizes that GIVING homeless people homes saves money. Ever see a chicago winter? Human Popsicles are a thing. If the homeless person is on the brink of death and gets found and brought into a hospital. Who do think pays? States need proactive programs and they need to be HUMAN since the federal can't.
 
Beyond the normal "chicago tax" of being robbed and stabbed on your way to pick the game up?

Worked downtown Chicago took union station everyday. Miss it zero. And it was practically utopia compared to today.
 
Being a south suburb fireman alot of this has happened in and around Chicago, thank fully not the city i work in, We pay into our pension and the city also agrees to pay their part. Guess what the city doesnt do...
 
I think Chicago is about like NYC, just makes the rest of the state look bad. Anything think city states should be a thing?
Funny that, give chicago its own state anything north of I-80 and east of 355. Youd have a completely different state.
 
shit, and i felt that stupid soda tax we got was asinine, Oh you like that? oh yah? let me tax that too... for pensions and schools you know... the regular stuff...

Except, the soda tax got repealed 8-10 weeks (or so) after it started. Sure, Crook County board was.....Not happy about this.

Lots of the red light cameras have also gone bye-bye.

Even the "surge" pricing for parking meters around Cubs stadium have also gone away. This one, was more that they couldn't justify the increase because of folks parking another extra mile or two from the stadium.....Oh, and of course the Cubs not staging a repeat of 2016's World Series.

Just because greedy fucking pols pass laws, doesn't necessarily mean they'll get enforced, or that they'll even last. They're not federal laws, voters definitely have more influence over city and state elections.

Sure, Rahm's been pretty lackluster at best. But he also isn't running again - Hopefully it isn't because he's getting some pre-primary-pre-cum over some futile fantasy of having a presidential boner or something like that.
 
LOL! Another reason not to live in Chicago. :D Oh well, how are they going to tax Steam purchases with that tax, I wonder.
 
with the status of federal taxes and the deficit it is now on the states to provide many essential services as the federal government continues to take the derp pills. medicaid expansions specifically. Even Utah realizes that GIVING homeless people homes saves money. Ever see a chicago winter? Human Popsicles are a thing. If the homeless person is on the brink of death and gets found and brought into a hospital. Who do think pays? States need proactive programs and they need to be HUMAN since the federal can't.

Ever see a Chicago winter? What? Where do you think I live? I was born on a farm in southern Minnesota, lived in Iowa for a time, and now am in a burb of Chicago. I have never lived anywhere else but the midwest.
Democrats have run Illinois for generations, mostly due to the high liberal population of Chicago. The city seems to be near broke. Pensions are underfunded, they are trying to tax everything they can, like trying that soda tax mentioned by others. Chicago cheated on the red light cameras by shortening yellow light times and they eventually got busted for that.
People are leaving the state in record pace, and businesses are leaving as well. It's pretty much a given that the new governor will raise taxes and the death spiral will continue, and accelerate if anything.
 
*knock knock* Fun police!

How the fuck this applies to people in their own home, I have no idea, but here's the literature: https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/fin/supp_info/revenue/tax_list/amusement_tax.html

Chicago. Wake up.

Anyone who lives in chicago already knows. There is a new tax every year and when you go do something you find out about it, the city blows money out of it's ass ex: these wonderful ornate lamp posts that arn't even found downtown where put in the south side.

It does not matter who you vote for it is the same shit every time, people talk shit about an amusement tax it is nothing, if you don't have a lawyer/ real estate to value your house for taxes and bring those taxes down you will get fucked so hard that 9% will look like the promised land.

Will people leave chicago, no. It is a hub just like New York.
 
Back
Top