Well, the permit may be free, but once you register, PA comes after you to collect sales tax. They do this at the Carlisle swap meet. Apparently it's seen as a big windfall. I've only seen the tax investigators come around once in over a decade at Spring and Fall Carlisle, and then they were only concentrating on the major, commercial vendors.

 

Tha Pa. sales tax police usually make their rounds at all the Carlisle, Pa. swap meets. A $500.00 fine if you don't have a registered tax number. Don't know if they will be at the Nationals, but I would not take a chance.

 

If this is an issue for the OCA swap meet then it should have been addressed by the swap meet coordinator when the event was setup... This was an issue for the 2010 Nationals in Sturbridge Mass and we were informed well ahead of time by the OCA Swap Meet coordinator of the requirement...

 

The town's name is Sturbridge. I'm sure the local chamber of commerce there would appreciate the correct spelling!


Niether the 2018 Swap Meet vendor registration form nor the event registration form make mention of the requirement for a vendor permit. That is a significant oversight.

 

You are correct, senior moment on my part, Sturbridge not Sturgis... However, I think the COC was more concerned with the town's share of the tax money collected from the sales I made at the event... No time was wasted extracting funds from my account to pay the tax bill...

As for a significant oversight, absolutely... Especially if it is an issue with the state of PA and the vendors can be fined ...

 

As the official swap meet chairman for the Oldsmobile Club of America I will get on here and say this is the first I've heard about this vendor permit thing. I have been in this position for about 2 months and had no idea of the planning of this event as it occurred more than a year ago I would imagine. Let me look into this a bit and I will report back what I find out.

 

Thanks for your assistance... Good luck in your new position... I was going to contact Everett Horton, I didn't realize there was a position change...

 

I just got off the phone with him and he directed me to get in touch with the local chapter hosting the national show which I'm in the process of doing.

 

Thanks again... If I do attend this event, my plan is to have swap spaces...

 

We have inquired about the vendor permit thing to some higher ups in Gettysburg & are waiting for confirmation in writing to clarify that there will be no permits necessary. I'm not saying 100% it will be this way but looking like it.

 

Sounds good...........

 

Thanks for the offer.. It'll depend on vaca time.. hoping to go, maybe drag my dad along, He is retired so he can do whatever, I have to pick and choose and still do some vaca's with the wife..lol

 

I don't want to step on your toes or tell you how to address or do something, but I'd double check the permit issue with the tax office no matter what the "higher ups" mail you, unless those higher up's are the ones running the tax collectors office. And the name matches one listed on the cities tax collectors dept web site and not just a letter from an office worker..
That is one can of worms I'd not want to deal with at an event.
Wouldn't the yay/nay for this issue if sale tax collection be decided by the state tax office not the city/town? and if so, what a city office rep states might not matter to the state collectors office..

 

It’s PA law, just get the permit and no worries, regardless of what you sell it’s all cash, when time comes claim 1 dollar and it’s done.

 

I was on an Atlantic Zone telecon the other night with Jerry Wilson and reps from the various chapters in the area, including Blue/Grey. This sales tax issue came up a couple of times and I know Scott is in close contact with Jerry and Rich Saullo. OCA is working with the Gettysburg area convention organization to get the requirements nailed down officially in writing from the state tax office. Stay tuned, but if their actions at Carlisle are any indication, I fear that the state of PA is not about to walk away from potential tax revenue. The tax permit tells the state that you are a vendor for profit, and once you register, you are required to collect sales tax (at 6%) and remit it to the state. Tax is on gross sales, not net profit.

Here is the information from the Carlisle Events website.

Here is the PA state form for non-PA resident vendors.

 

As a PA native, I'm embarrassed to see that the state relies on these swap meets to generate tax revenue. I wonder how they view flea markets. There are people that go to those and only set up for a week, just like this event and I bet they are never asked to pay any tax.

Regardless, the potholes need fixed somehow. Sad but true.

 

I just got the official word that permits are required by each vendor but that the $25.00 permit fee is included in the vendor registration & cost, so no additional money out of pocket by any of the vendors. If you buy 1 spot for $30.00, $25.00 goes for the permit & $5.00 goes to the OCA. If you buy 10 spots, $25.00 for the permit, $275.00 for the OCA. I have been told that no sales taxes will need to be collected.

 

I'm curious who gave this official word. I find it hard to believe that sales tax does not need to be collected. You can't register for Hershey or Carlisle or other auto swap meets without having a PA sales tax number.

 

I got this directly from Jerry Wilson, president of the Oldsmobile Club of America. He has been in contact with many people about this to be positive of an answer and this is what I have been told.

 

Jerry Wilson is well aware of this issue and has been working with the Gettysburg tourism organization to get an official, written position from PA on this. Jerry is also well aware of the legal implications for OCA and is not going to issue any direction that puts the club at financial risk for non-compliance.

As for Carlisle, I can tell you first-hand that Carlisle Events does NOT require vendors to have a PA tax number to register for the event. They tell you repeatedly that you, the vendor, are responsible for this and then they wash their hands of any responsibility. If you choose to sell without a tax number and get caught by the tax police, this is your problem.

If OCA is giving direction that vendors are not obligated to collect and submit sales tax and this proves to be incorrect, OCA would be liable. Based in this, I have to assume that written confirmation is in hand. We have a Nationals meeting at the site this weekend. I'm sure this will come up.

 

Whatever is written and in hand from a City/TOWN city hall will not mean a thing to the STATE tax office.. Other than them saying to you that they were incorrect. OCA would not be liable as the STATE TAX OFFICE did not inform them, the city/town did.. and If I was the OCA I'd want it in writing from the state tax offices, in hand and a copy for every paying vendor.

 

Let me rephrase that. The Gettysburg tourism organization (who is working with OCA on these Nationals) has taken the responsibility to get a written ruling from the PA STATE TAX ORGANIZATION. We understand that local opinions mean nothing at a state level.

 

But does it have that in hand. From the state tax office with their seal and/or letter header?
If not whatever is in hand is well.
I have no dog in this, as if I get to go, I'll be on the buying end.
But with them having to reg. as a vendor.. but no need to collect the taxes, seems off. I'd think that if they just wanted the spot fee, they just get it all from the OCA and no need for the vendors info. Needing the vendors info is a red flag. As why would they(city/town/state) need it? Again no dog in this, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

Never been to the Nationals before, what should I expect? How many cars does it usually pull in and should I bring my worn driver pictured on the side? Wasn't sure I was going to make it so I'm guessing I'll be staying way outside the of the mainstream due to not booking a room. I'd have to guess if there was something available at this point I'd be paying above premium.

 

If you can make it you absolutely should come & bring your car. Any Oldsmobile is welcome. I hear we're looking to get somewhere between 350-500 cars & we've sold over 100 swap meet spaces so far with several more to go.

 

I'd like to cruise out in my wagon and see what there is since I'm only about 30 minutes from Gettysburg. I don't need to be judged or part of a show - is spectating free?

 

Yes, by all means go and check out all the cars and the Swap Meet area.

 

Spectators are free to enter, but you will be parked in the spectator lot and not with any of the show cars. If you want to display your car, even as a non-judged vehicle, you must pay to register.

For those thinking about registering, don't wait. I fear that the show car areas will be tight. There are about 350-360 spaces available right now, and if prior northeast Nationals are an indication, those will fill up. There are contingency plans for some spillover lots, but these will be less desirable (those who were at Sturbridge in 2010 will recall the lot on the far side of the hotel that was well off the beaten path, as an example). There will be a judging cutoff date for registrations and any cars registered after that will be placed in the spillover lot and will not be judged.

 

I may very well find my way up there to visit for a day or two. Hope it isn't near as hot as the Tennessee show. That was insane.

Who plans on going that didn't already say so? In Tennessee I met at least 20 members from CO. Will be nice to see everyone again.

Is there a CO dinner being planned?

 

I will volunteer again to head some sort of a get together. My thoughts as to getting a hold of my friend and zone director Ken Nichols about a possible borrowing of a not in use meeting room for a few hours.

The last get together was not taken seriously by the last restaurant about trying to isolate us!

Pat

 

Both hotels have meeting rooms, however there is also a microbrewery next to the Marriott. Just sayin'...

 

Sounds like a plan. I could go to this.

 

 

 

As long as they don't fly United

 

Now that's what I'm talking about.

 

So if I brought a car (one car nothing else) to sell there would I be considered a vendor?

 

Yes. The plan is to have a car corral. I'd talk to Scott Winn about that.

 

Sent him a mail earlier, waiting for a reply, TKS!

 

I will to be there with one, if not both, Oldsmobiles. And would be up for a CO gather like the one in Kingsport.