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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, Insightful) by Thexalon on Monday April 25 2016, @08:13PM
It's true that Woz has always been fairly generous with his dough. This isn't surprising, since he's always at heart been a guy who wanted to tinker with electronics and make people around him happy. Also, he might have learned something from the following story (possibly not quite true, but certainly plausible):
What's certainly true is that once you reach a certain level of personal wealth (somewhere around $5-10 million), there's really no practical advantage whatsoever in trying to become even more wealthy, because you're already at the point where you have more than enough coming in from your investments to buy pretty much whatever you want while not doing any work. There'd be a good argument for, if you've reached, say, $50 million in current dollars, for society as a whole to say basically "Congratulations, you've beaten the game of capitalism! Good for you, but that's the most you're ever going to get. Anything above that, and you'll have to give it away or we'll tax it away." Because at that point, you're already getting something like $3 million a year to play with, more than enough to live in a nice mansion (or two or five), travel where you like, send your kids to whatever school they can get into, eat what you like, and so forth.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 25 2016, @10:41PM
Commie bastard, naiive socialist, something something job creation. Mumble mumble lawn mumble shotgun.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 25 2016, @11:12PM
What if you wanted to personally fund a trip to the moon or create an under sea city? Might cost more than $50 million. Don't get me wrong, the tax playing field should be leveled, but we shouldn't add random caps. No one should ever need more than 1mb in bandwidth...
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Tuesday April 26 2016, @12:49AM
Indeed it would. And that doesn't bother me in the slightest, because a trip to the moon or an undersea city under those circumstances would leave somebody in charge (namely, the rich person funding it) that would likely have exactly zero qualifications for the job. As an example, Paul Allen knows a great deal about making computer software but very little about submarines, and putting him in a position where he could overrule people who do in fact know something about submarines when the question is about submarines is not a good idea. And that's not because Paul Allen is a bad guy or isn't smart, it's because he's out of his field of skill.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday April 26 2016, @02:33PM
Yeah, that's right on the money, Thexalon. There's been some talk these days about instituting a basic income, but I believe it would be much more efficacious to implement a maximum wealth. $50 million is a good cut-off. Index that for inflation, and you've taken away all financial incentive for the 1% to infinitely fuck over the 99% and destroy civilization and the world.
Couple that with public floggings for those who reach that $50 million and use it to be cruel or do evil, and we just might beat this thing.
Washington DC delenda est.