Taxing Thoughts

Laura Chick

Los Angeles City Council

Dear Ms. Chick:

I want to thank you for making home-based work legal. Until you led the campaign to legalize working at home, I had no idea that simply reading a book, writing an essay or drawing a picture at home could be illegal.

As I understand the new city tax law, it provides 20,000 at-home lawbreakers a path to redemption. This is not as good as taking 20,000 criminals off the street, but perhaps it is a small blow for justice.

Nevertheless, I’m sure many will try to continue writing without a license. They’ll try to do the work elsewhere or dodge the requirement. That’s why I’m writing with suggestions to expand the new law.

I once wrote a book review in a Sacramento hotel room, but I read the book at home. At the time, I didn’t realize that I needed a license, but I think this ought to be made clear. If you read at home, you may need a license. For that matter, we should ensure that those who consider TV script-writing obtain a license to watch TV at home. Maybe the city could make some extra tax money by issuing licenses to watch television in bars.

I’ve been known to help people with computer problems by phone from home, but now I’d think the city would want to insist that only holders of a Home Occupation License get phone calls.

Please consider adding licensing for those who do business by car phone. Car-based occupations should be considered home-based even if the person does not live in his or her car. For those who do live in their cars, there ought to be another kind of occupational license.

With so many laptop computers and cell phones in use, perhaps the city would be able to collect new tax revenues by licensing work at, say, city parks. Or libraries. You ought to have a license to work there.

My 10-year-old is a darned good essayist and is trying to write something that will sell in the fifth-grade market. But maybe she should be able to work unlicensed until she makes a sale.

There should also be a special license for those who work at home for many years attempting to write the Great American Novel. These people, if they succeed, should not be hit with penalties or bills for back taxes. Perhaps this license should be suitable for framing so that the unsuccessful novelist will not feel his fee went for nothing.

One other category of work begging for special attention is the idea area. Some people are always getting profitable ideas, often at home. Should we let these people just run out into the street when they feel an idea coming on? I say no. The law should specifically address ideas even if they appear to occur in unlicensed areas.

Just in case you’re wondering, I wrote this on a rented boat in international waters.

Sincerely,

BART EVERETT

Sea-based writer

* Bart Everett is a Times employee in the Technical Resources Group.