lanl_menace

cnocbui said:

sflocal said:

Apple did nothing wrong, and the CFO is emphasizing that as well.  We all know that, and so do you.  This is not about the typical run-of-the-mill CFO that is purposely doing something shady to save tax money.  

If the EU found that Ireland did something wrong, then it is Ireland ONLY that should foot the bill.  Apple should have zero requirements to be forced to retroactively pay back taxes that were not required at the time.  Zero.  Screw the EU.

Ireland can't foot the bill.  The whole point of this exercise, which almost no one seems to get, is the idea that there is a suspicion that Ireland gave Apple, and probably some other companies as well, an unfair advantage over their rivals by not collecting 12.5% of their profits.  The only way to redress that unfair advantage is for Ireland to collect the taxes that they should have collected in the first place.  There is no fine payable to the EU or taxes to be forwarded to the EU.  There is no 'bill' to foot.

OK, so let's see if I can explain this on a MUCH smaller scale.

I'm looking to buy a new iPad Pro and after looking around the internet, I find one for $800 with no tax because the business doesn't have a brick & mortar store in my state and with free shipping, but it won't be here for 2 weeks.  I then walk into my local Best Buy and they have the same iPad Pro for $750 + 12.5% tax for a total of $843.75.  I let the store manager know that I can get it for less online and he says he'll match their offer -- pay him $800 out the door and he'll take care of the taxes and I get it immediately instead of waiting 2 weeks.  Anybody else that didn't look online is going to be stuck with paying $843.75.

Ten years later, the government finds out that Best Buy broke the rules and didn't make me pay taxes?  Who should pay the tax bill and for how much?  Should the taxes due be based on the original $750 price, on the $800 I paid total or maybe they lowered the price down to $711.11 and I owe no taxes at all?  Should the government come after me because I knew I might be breaking the rules (maybe he lowered the cost and payed the taxes due or maybe he charged $800 and didn't pay any taxes on it) or go after Best Buy because they agreed to break the rules? 

I'd argue that I took the best deal and Best Buy has to pay the taxes.  If Best Buy doesn't have the money to pay the taxes, that's their problem, not mine.  Best Buy incentivized me to do business with them instead of online in the same way Ireland incentivized Apple to do business with them instead of another country.

Dennis