un beeeleeeevable!
seems that the legal premise involved would be kinda shaky.
IMHO, as an "outsider looking in" (not an attorney, not an accountant, not a tax-knowledgeable "expert" in any way shape fashion or form)
Let's assume, for a minute, that property taxes actually can be assessed on those assets, and that any state with property taxes has approximately the same laws concerning that type of thing, thereby making some form of taxation kind of inescapable.
If Hughes wanted to form a subsidiary in another state, and then "sell" the satellites to that subsidiary, in such a manner as to make the satellites taxable to that state, rather than to Commiefornia, or, relocate the corporate HQ to that other state, I would expect to see Hughes and that state work a deal that would, indeed tax them, but at a lower rate than the People's Republic of California. Then,if it were me, I'd stand on the front steps of the courthouse in California and go
. Meanwhile, in that other state, the tax assessor there would also face toward California and make raspberries, thinking to himself, you had to act like a greedy, self-righteous a$$hole, and now, MY state is gonna reap the rewards... Nanner-nanner-nanner, Mr. Alsbaugh(sp?).
Somehow, though, I suspect it's been thought through pretty carefully, as a scheme to increase revenues to California, while not directly harming Hughes..... think about this sequence of events...
1. ---tax the satellites
2. ---Hughes' profit takes a "hit"
3. ---Hughes increases the fees charged to all the different users
(not too many competitors, what choice would they have?)
(if the disputes become too troublesome and/or expensive, the State of California then siezes the company, and uses it as an example of "don't mess with our tax assessor" and begins to charge whatever it wants, for poorer and poorer service)
4. ---all the different intermediate users charge their clients (us) more, and, ultimately... .
5. ---YOU AND I, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE CONDUCT SAT-RELATED BUSINESS OF ANY KIND PAY FOR IT!!!!!
(how?--cable and satellite TV bills get increased... your bank sticks you with larger service charges/higher interest on all their activities... the gas station bumps the fuel price another penny or two/gallon... . on and on and on the ripples go)
In short, no good can come of this.
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