"I don't pay tax!"

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I ring up an item for this guy.

Me: Your total is $XX.XX
SC: No it's not.
Me: *double checks the price and everything* The sticker says $99.99, that plus tax equals $XX.XX.
SC: Exactly. That's wrong. I don't pay tax.
Me: Ok, do you have a tax exempt card or documentation that supports what you are saying?
SC: No, but I work in *some kind of government security thing I didn't even really understand completely* and I DON'T pay tax! Take it off please.
Me: Sir, I can't waive tax unless you have valid documentation
SC: *repeats rant about where he works and again demands I remove the tax*
Me: For the last time sir, I CANNOT waive the tax for you.
SC: Are you the manager?
Me: No sir.
SC: Then get me one. Now.

Manager J comes over, I explain the situation. He and the SC repeat the same exchange as before while the line builds behind him. Eventually Manager J decides we'll discount the item so he ends up paying the pre-tax price but warned him that if he came to this store again, he WOULD be paying tax, no questions asked. We also sent out an email warning other stores about him, in case he tried to pull this there.

On a related note, Native peoples in Canada are exempt from sales tax, they have ID cards that attests to their status and we needed to write down info from the cards and get the person to sign it when doing a tax exempt sale.

For some reason, many of the Natives I encountered would either fling their ID card at me (as opposed to presenting it normally) or would act all high and mighty because THEY don't have to pay tax.

I understand some natives have it tough and I don't want to make this into a fratching thing but the point is that I, the poor guy behind the counter, had nothing to do with the government actions that took away your land or your rights or whatever, so you don't need to be taking those frustrations out on me.

[bainsidhe]

At our store, non-profits and other tax-exempt companies/groups must first go to Customer Service and get set up with a specific *big box retail* card and number. This way they're already logged into the system, their paperwork is on file, and we don't have to go through the verification process for each and every sale.

It's actually quite simple, sign up and then hand over the card at the beginning of the transaction. Every now and then, I'll be handed a card after everything is rung up. Not meant to be sucky, but sure is bothersome and time-consuming as I rering everything.

Most tax exempters (is that even a word?) know the drill and if they don't, they are very nice about it. Once in a great while, I'll have someone who can't be bothered to sign up for a *big box retail* tax exempt card, yet he/she still expects me to ring through the sale. Without a number. Which the register won't allow. Usually not a big deal, but a couple people have been rather thickheaded (and prick-headed ) about it.

[Anthony K. S.]

Manager J decides we'll discount the item so he ends up paying the pre-tax price

You want to know what really gets me?

When an SC leaves the store, and the manager shakes his/her head and says, "I don't understand what makes people act like that."

If I could do it without getting fired, I would respond :

"It's because managers like you keep giving in to them. What's so hard to understand about that?"

but warned him that if he came to this store again, he WOULD be paying tax, no questions asked

Translation : The next time the customer comes to the store, he'll say, "But the manager did it for me the last time!"

And the manager (either this same one or a different one) will argue for a while, and then give in again, saying, "All right, fine, we'll do it for you this once, but this is the last time!"

Repeat ad nauseam.

[G-Radical]

I live in a land of tax free shopping. When i shop in other states i always have a moment of hesitation because I am stunned the price is more than what i expected. Once i get my brain on track it's all good. But I never go berserk!
Where can I get one of those tax exemption cards!? lol

[WhiteRose]

tax-free shopping means it gets taken out in other ways...higher school tax, higher wage-tax, etc...i loved living in VT, especially near the NH border, because there's no sales tax in NH and there are lower property taxes, etc in VT...

[Dave1982]

Dunno what state you're in, but if it's Mass, then your manager committed a crime by doing that.

It is unlawful for a vendor to advertise or state to the public or any customer, directly or indirectly, that the sales tax, or any part of it, will be assumed or absorbed by the vendor, or that it will not be added to the selling price or that it will be refunded in whole or in part.

[fumblebee]

Dunno what state you're in, but if it's Mass, then your manager committed a crime by doing that.

But if they discount the item x% so that it equals the pretax amount, the tax is still being paid, the government gets their money and the store is eating that x% of what would be profit.

[Dave1982]

But if they discount the item x% so that it equals the pretax amount, the tax is still being paid, the government gets their money and the store is eating that x% of what would be profit.

Well, I simply pulled that quote from another thread of mine, but the regulations go on to prohibit the practice of tax-inclusive pricing, which is what this was (making the item price + tax = sticker price). There are scant exceptions. PLus, I'd think this qualifies as absorbing part of the tax, since they took off what he would have had to pay.

[Hobbs]

lol, my favorite one was one of the many foreign military affiliates we get (San Antonio is a major military city, btw).

fma: I don't understand; why is it more now?
me: That's with the sales tax.
fma: I don't pay tax.
me: But this was a sale; it was taxed.

He ended up paying, but gee does this become a pain.

As a note, I don't think the affiliates are exempt; I've never seen a DoD document to state the contrary...

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

It's a moot point anyway, since I'm not in Mass.

I agree the guy might well come back and try it again but if he does it with me I won't let him get away with it I promise you that.

[Difdi]

"It's because managers like you keep giving in to them. What's so hard to understand about that?"

I'd say it'd be worth it!

[El Pollo Guerrera]

On a related note, Native peoples in Canada are exempt from sales tax, they have ID cards that attests to their status and we needed to write down info from the cards and get the person to sign it when doing a tax exempt sale.

For some reason, many of the Natives I encountered would either fling their ID card at me (as opposed to presenting it normally) or would act all high and mighty because THEY don't have to pay tax.

I understand some natives have it tough and I don't want to make this into a fratching thing but the point is that I, the poor guy behind the counter, had nothing to do with the government actions that took away your land or your rights or whatever, so you don't need to be taking those frustrations out on me.

From what I understand (from my boss), the only way that the Canadian Aboriginal/Status Indians get the tax exempted from a sale is if is delivered to them on the reserve, but they still have to pay at the store for it.

Hey, I found this on the Government of Canada website...

Provincial Sales Tax


Under the Indian Act (Canada), Status Indians and Indian Bands are exempt from PST where the sale takes place on reserve land, or title to the goods takes place only once the goods have been delivered to a reserve location. Leases to Status Indians are exempt where the individual is resident on a reserve.

The item purchased or leased must be for the personal use of the individual or for the use of the band.

Only individuals who qualify as an Indian under the Indian Act (Canada) and hold a "Certificate of Indian Status" card issued by the federal government are eligible for the exemption. This does not include Métis, Inuit, or Indians from the United States.

http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/business/In...nations/tc.htm

[infinitemonkies]

In Canada, aboriginals (Native "Americans" ) are tax-exempt.

But in practice, there are several flaws:

First off, they're required to show a band cand (a photo ID card identifying tham as a member of <whichever> band of natives. The problem with this is that these cards are issued by the band, not the government. What these means is that there is no standard card, so every group has something that looks different, and in most parts of Canada you see them so infrequently no clerk can really be expected to be able to tell if it's genuine or a fake.

Which leads into the second problem: Not to speak ill of any band, but some of the cards they produce look less professional than a 1st grader's arts and crafts project. Ive seen several legit cards with what looks like a cell-phone camera photo, with mis-spellings (e.g. "adress" "brithdate") on paper which was hand-cut, and not straight, sealed in plastics with bubbles or ridges in it.

Most natives I know don't even bother trying to show thier card or claim tax exempt status. As far as I know, they just keep thier receipts, and get it refunded from the government later.

'"Certificate of Indian Status" card issued by the federal government' ???
Never heard of it, never seen one.

[Snowbird]

I agree the guy might well come back and try it again but if he does it with me I won't let him get away with it I promise you that.

My big question is though, how do we know he worked at this magically tax-exempt job in the first place? Was he asked to provide proof of employment? Did the manager call his place of business to verify this information?

It's a shame there isn't a smilie of a cave troll, it would be the spitting image of that type of manager.

[VComps]

In Canada, aboriginals (Native "Americans" ) are tax-exempt.

But in practice, there are several flaws:

First off, they're required to show a band cand (a photo ID card identifying tham as a member of <whichever> band of natives. The problem with this is that these cards are issued by the band, not the government. What these means is that there is no standard card, so every group has something that looks different, and in most parts of Canada you see them so infrequently no clerk can really be expected to be able to tell if it's genuine or a fake.

Which leads into the second problem: Not to speak ill of any band, but some of the cards they produce look less professional than a 1st grader's arts and crafts project. Ive seen several legit cards with what looks like a cell-phone camera photo, with mis-spellings (e.g. "adress" "brithdate") on paper which was hand-cut, and not straight, sealed in plastics with bubbles or ridges in it.

Most natives I know don't even bother trying to show thier card or claim tax exempt status. As far as I know, they just keep thier receipts, and get it refunded from the government later.

'"Certificate of Indian Status" card issued by the federal government' ???
Never heard of it, never seen one.

The photo ID cards actually SHOULD be issued by the federal government. The new ones look like this:



Also, First Nations people are exempt ONLY from the provincial sales tax, not the GST.

Furthermore, one of the above posters is correct - it only applies if you're in a reserve or if the item is delivered by a third party agency (ie, Canada Post or a courier) to the reserve.

Also, an FYI to the OP: Government employees are exempt from tax when making purchases for the government using a government agency credit card (which will have a tax exemption number on it.) Provincial employees pay no federal tax, federal employees pay no provincial tax. It's all quite confusing.