Hi,

What CO-LO or dedicated server companies would you suggest in the St Louis, MO area -- or Illinois area -- that are NOT in the city of St Louis?


Thank you,

Louis

I try to find it at http://colosource.com, but I couldn't find one :(

Does that also exclude Saint Louis County or just the City of Saint Louis?

Hi,

Just the city of St Louis is excluded; St Louis County is fine....as is any area in Illinois.

Thank you!

Louis

Let's see. There is Savvis & Primary Networks. I think that is about it, most are in DT Saint Louis. May I ask, why not the City?

Thanks!

Hi Mike,

There are primarily three reasons why I would prefer not to be "doing business" in the city of St Louis:

First, the last time I checked, companies doing business in the city of St Louis have to file "returns" when paying the 1% city earnings tax. The last time I looked, the forms require ** WAY ** too much detailed operational information about how you do business over what's required for them to know how much tax you owe. That is the biggest turnoff.

Second, the city of St Louis is considered a very lucrative jurisdiction for plaintiffs. Since anyone with the filing fee can sue, and lawyers are expensive, I worry about what might come down the pike legal liability wise -- such as a host being sued for what some person puts on a web server, even if they had nothing to do with it nor appoved of what a customer publishes on their web site. I figure why subject yourself to the extra legal risk?

Third, the 1% city earnings tax. This is the smallest reason.

I live in Collinsville, IL. Having system(s) at a co-lo in downtown St Louis would be very convienient in the event I had to replace a hard drive or something. However, the first item is a big turn off to me. The second item is a concern -- and potential very costly land mine; even if a suit were groundless and one is innocent, one still has to pay lawyers and court cost. The third item is minor -- a 1% tax on income -- but there.

Thanks,

Louis

Ah! Well, the city earnings tax and city income tax are only applicable if your "actual" business is in the city. If you base your business out of Collinsville, you will not have to pay these taxes. The same would apply to any legal suits.

Make sense? Hope that helps!

Hi Mike,

I agree with you on the earnings tax.

However, while I am not a lawyer and not giving legal advice, I will share that I think if one conducts any of one's "material" business in a jurisdiction -- having an office certianly -- but even having a business meeting or going to a co-lo to swap out a bad hard drive or whatever -- one is subject to being sued in that jurisdiction. Plus, what's true today can of course change tomorrow.

I may be wrong -- and may consult a lawyer about it to be sure. But it just seems prudent to me to avoid unnecessary business, financial and legal risk if one can by choosing the less risky "option A" over the more risky "option B".

Kind of why folks incorportate rather than do everything as a sole-proprietor, I guess.

Anyway. Thank you very much!

Take care,

Louis

Hey Louis,

If you don't have a server in Saint Louis City, someone can file suit against in Saint Louis even if you are in IL.

Really, there is no "higher" risk being in Saint Louis. :)

Anywho, give Savvis or Primary a shout. Have a great one!

OK,

Thank you very much!

Take care,

Louis