[Hidden-tech] IT Sales tax on writing a website vs writing a program?

[Don Lesser]

The problem is that depending on your reading of the law, are you 
"customizing commercial software" or writing "custom software?" The first 
is taxable, the second not. The problem is that unless you write in machine 
code (and even then) are you using a software tool (C#, PHP, "raw" HTML) or 
customizing a program (MS SQL, PeopleSoft, MS Access, Excel VBA, 
WordPress)? We all know what we want to be the interpretation. Is 
customizing adding additional code to the actual application or is it using 
the GUI or query/programming language? They have yet to rule on it.

Please understand, I am no apologist for the law. I am only trying to 
interpret it. The real issue is whether the law is discriminatory, whether 
it will negatively affect a vital Mass industry, whether it was so poorly 
understood by the legislature that in thinking they were going to be less 
restrictive than the governor that they did not understand what the law 
would cover, and, whether in rushing to implement the law in 9 days, they 
missed the opportunity to have the IT community weigh in and ask these 
questions before the law went into effect instead of after.


-------- Original Message --------
> From: "Bobbi Melville" <bobbimelville at gmail.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 8:18 PM
> To: "Hidden-Tech Tech" <hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net>
> Subject: [Hidden-tech] IT Sales tax on writing a website vs writing a 
program?
> 
> ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, Don, for posting the official "clarification" of the new tax. 
I'm
> still confused, though. If I write a custom website for an organization,
> using html, css, and perhaps a javascript or two - is that taxable?
> 
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