While the state of California has basically made marijuana legal but doesn't tax the sale of the sticky-ikky-ikky, those in Sacramento want all of the sales tax revenue they can get on everything else that companies and people buy online and out of state. For this year's tax return, the state is asking for you to pay tax on everything that you bought out of state and/or via the Internet that didn't have sales tax. While a 20 percent luxury tax on all of the mind-numbing weed the residents of the state could smoke/eat/vaporize would generate more revenue - the state is setting a moneymaking trend that could deeply impact the world of specialty audio video nationwide.

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Growing up in Philadelphia - everyone in the area knew that the state of Delaware has no state tax and for big purchases they would go across the border to save a few bucks. The leading high end audio store in the area at that time was SoundEx in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Located purposefully close to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the retailer had a robust clientele from The Big Apple and well-heeled parts of New Jersey and elsewhere on the Eastern Seaboard. These customers knew that the now-defunct audiophile retailer would meet or beat the best prices in New York City but could additionally add an eight percent margin because of sales tax. This closed for SoundEx more than one big audiophile sale that included "free shipping."

The out of state purchase is no new concept for the audiophile customer and is one of the reasons why many of today's high end retailers refuse to "floor" the big ticket AV items. The store owners say that for every one person who buys a product that the retailer paid to put on the floor - there are many more who buy used from Audiogon.com or seek going out of state to save tax. With the astronomical prices of today's best audio gear - the savings can be enough to pay for a private jet, let alone warrant $100 in fuel to drive across state lines.

California has been a political and cultural trendsetter for a long time and as much as the Tea Party wants to solve the nation's problems with spending cuts - generating new streams of revenue accomplishes the same effect from the opposite direction. Every state in the union needs money badly right now. Don't be shocked to see them copying California by next year. And note: California wasn't just asking for corporate and personal sales tax from 2010 - they want 2009 and 2008 as well.

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