Help Keith Owen!

[Jason 'J-Faz' Farren]

Maybe you guys already know, but Pedro Sauer BJJ Black Belt Keith Owen is currently in a real life fight with the Idaho state government who are illegally attempting to re-classify his martial arts school under the category of "entertainment & recreation" as opposed to "education!".

If this illegal act goes forward it will require Keith to retroactively pay thousands upon thousands of dollars based on every student he has ever had.
This would be a very dangerous precident to set for all martial arts schools and more importantly is utter garbage to see happening.

I'm pissed off about it and I'm in Australia!

So plaese go show your support by searching Support Keith on Facebook or use this address/ link.

http://www.facebook.com/​SupportKeithOwen

[Chris Herzog]

says page not found.

[Mike Dewitt Jr]

http://www.facebook.com/SupportKeithOwen?ref=ts TADA

[rickdawson]

Already Liked This... yeah guys its really bad, they aren't just going after Mr. Keith. They are going after all of the other Martial Arts Schools, Dance Studios, etc. Retroactive Taxes are actually why we went to war with the Britts... I'm just saying.

[Chris Herzog]

So whats the whole story? Are they not for profits organizations?

[rickdawson]

Basically from what Mr. Keith has told the class is that The Dance and Martial Arts Schools have been treated like Educational Facilities Tax Wise (legally I might add)... but the tax commission wants to Re-Classify them as HEALTH FACILITIES, that way they have to charge 6% sales tax for every member that joins. Instead of just implementing a new tax for the future, they want the sales tax for every member that has ever joined, since the school was opened up.

So its basically the Idaho Tax Commission trying to butt rape these businesses with a non skid condom

[Chris Herzog]

Wow thats really fucked up.

So basically they are saying we are switiching your tax classification and the law is now retroactive? What a punch to the dick.

[rickdawson]

Yup... what I don't understand is why not, just implement it STARTING THIS YEAR, that way these companies can still stay in business.

If this goes through, its gonna put a lot of companies out of business... never thought something like this could/would happen in ID.

[Jeff V]

How messed up. "well we know that over twenty years ago you were place in this tax bracket but now we feel we messed up so you owe us going twenty years back for our mistake". Some serious bull shit.

[Nosaj]

hmm so Idaho is trying to say that all of these schools pruposfully mis-classified their businesses? Thats nuts it could affect almost anything Gymanastics,dance,Martial Arts,SCUBA,Sky diving, driving lessons,personal training,yoga and on and on. Crazy I wonder what is the general understanding of the tax laws of the local tax proffesionals is on the issue? Is it a common tax trick to classify the business under education and Idaho is just trying to close a loophole or is this some way out of left field oppourtunistic sham being pulled by the government to generate tax revenue? It would be very interesting to see what percentage of "intructional" type businesses are classified as educational vs entertainment & recreation.

I hope these people lawyer up and possibly look at a class-action.

I know when I had my business my tax guy actually asked me how honest do I want to be. I told him I want everything 100% above board.

We seriously need tax overhauls there is no reason to punish business owners like this.