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El Reg reports
Steve Wozniak has spoken out against Apple's tax affairs, saying all companies ought to pay 50 per cent in taxes.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live he said: "I don't like the idea that Apple might be unfair--not paying taxes the way I do as a person.
"I do a lot of work, I do a lot of travel and I pay over 50 per cent of anything I make in taxes and I believe that's part of life and you should do it."
Asked if Apple should pay that amount, he replied: "Every company in the world should."
According to Woz, money was never a factor when he started the biz with Steve Jobs 40 years ago. He added: "Steve Jobs started Apple Computers for money, that was his big thing and that was extremely important and critical and good."
Europe is currently scrutinising Ireland's tax arrangements with Apple over an alleged sweetheart deal with the company. Some have speculated the probe could lead to Apple paying $8bn in back taxes, even though the case is against the Irish government.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by SanityCheck on Monday April 25 2016, @07:24PM
Ugh I live in NJ and if you take all the taxes I pay it would approach 50%. Especially if you add up the Employer contribution to FICA, which still comes out of your pocket, not his. The amount of obfuscation around taxes is legendary.
Just because they split them up and call em other things does not mean they are not taxes. Just because they make your employer pay them, doesn't mean it's not coming out of your compensation. And worst yet a lot of these "taxes" are super regressive, like the 7% sales tax, or fees for government services (courts and motor vehicle related stuff). If people knew how much tax they are really paying and they had to write that check at end of the year in one go, there would be riots in the streets.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 25 2016, @07:50PM
If you add income tax and sales tax together that's pretty damn close to 50%.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Tuesday April 26 2016, @08:26PM
Don't forget property taxes, especially considering the GP poster is in New Jersey where those taxes are obscenely high.
Throw in gas taxes too (which is most of the cost of gasoline), various employment-related taxes, and it's easily over 50%.
Now, to be fair, companies do have to pay some taxes too: when they buy stuff, they usually pay taxes on it (except for things which they're going to re-sell), so the sales tax bit really isn't fair. A corporation doesn't get to buy their computers tax-free, for instance, they pay the same sales tax we do. However, unlike us, they get to take a deduction for that tax, and we don't.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 25 2016, @07:55PM
To add insult to injury when you incur costs in order to generate income that's on you.
But when a corp incurs costs in order to generate income, that's tax deductible.
For example - if you drive to work, you are on the hook for 100% of the cost of gas and the depreciation on your vehicle. But if you drive a company car to the site of your employer's client, that gas and depreciation is tax deductible for the company.