Non-city residents getting charged city taxes online

Flickr user Dr Craig

If you live in unincorporated Myrtle Beach and don't like the idea of paying the ever-controversial tourism development tax for your online purchases, double check your tax amount before checking out.

WPDE has a brief write up on a resident getting taxed improperly for his online purchases. You can read that here. It seems that for many, it is a matter of principle over pennies.

The  tourism development tax only applies to purchases made within the city limits of Myrtle Beach, which is zip codes 29577 and 29572. But there are other Myrtle Beach zip codes such as 29575, 29579 and 29588 that are outside the city limits. But most online retailers aren't interested in the nuances of city limits and simply see the "Myrtle Beach, SC" address.

This has been an ongoing problem since the tax set a precedent for muncipal option taxes. The Carolina Forest Chronicle has been keeping an estimated running tally (usually on page 4) of how much of tax has been paid in the at retail stores in the Carolina Forest (29579) area. Their current estimate is steadily moving towards $150,000 over the past 18 months. 

 

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