<VV> The Buffalo Convention Haunts Me

[Frank DuVal]

This reminds me of when I first opened my collision shop (and Corvair 
repair-required Corvair content).
I applied for a state sales tax number and it was issued. Of course I 
did this before I opened the doors officially and therefore had no sales 
to report until the doors were open. But the following month I was 
billed for failure to file a report for the few days that I had the 
number but no sales! A $20 lesson back then.

Good luck with your case. Your amount of money is not trivial.

Frank DuVal

Robert Marlow wrote:

>Let me begin my noting that I am not a resident of New York State nor do 
>I have a business presence in that state.
>
>In advance of the Buffalo convention some years back, it was recommended 
>that persons intending to sell in the flea market or vendor area obtain 
>a NY State sales tax certificate.  There was the predictable complaining 
>on this list, but the fact was it was easy and painless to obtain the 
>needed certificate.  I did it on-line in a matter of minutes.
>
>Then my plans changed, with the result that I took no parts or 
>merchandise to the convention, I did not obtain a vendor space, and I 
>sold nothing.
>
>Early this year, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance 
>telephoned me, to ask, in essence, where the hell was my sale tax 
>remittance.  I told the individual my story, and she said that I would 
>have to speak to someone else and that she would transfer me.  I spent 
>the next several minutes on hold before hanging up.
>
>A week or so later they called again and we repeated the process.
>
>Then in May they sent me a bill, for $1500 plus interest and penalty.  
>Excuse me while I say, WTF?
>
>I wrote a concise and polite letter, explaining the situation and 
>recommending that they close my file.
>
>In today's mail comes a revised bill, still for $1500 but with even more 
>interest and penalty now totaling $2,631.90, AND with threats of 
>garnishment, confiscation, and the recommendation that I hire an attorney.
>
>I say again, only this time with supreme irritation, WTF?  New York's 
>moribund legislature is a joke, the unshaven governor is politically 
>impotent, but they are expending money and effort to collect a 
>non-existent debt arising from my attempt to do the right thing.
>
>I checked the "dispute" box on today's form, noted "see enclosed 
>correspondence," and included a copy of my letter from May.
>
>I suspect my miseries are just beginning.
>
>--Bob
>
>  
>