Desperate for revenues, Detroit ponders fast-food tax

AP ^ | 5-8-05 | Sarah Karush

[Mark was here]

Maybe they could also tax the popcorn sold in all of Detroit's movie theaters? This could raise a small fortune.

[Dan from Michigan]

There are actually. Some downtown, the riverfront, and over in the Palmer Woods section.

[G.Mason]

This is just too juicy!

"Michigan law limits Detroit's ability to raise income and property taxes. Few argue that such increases would help anyway: High taxes are frequently cited as a major reason residents and businesses have fled the city, further depleting the tax base.

Not to mention the crime rates. Shhhh ... don't mention the crime rates.

"In addition to the fast-food tax, Kilpatrick also plans to ask voters to approve a property transfer tax, a flat $250 to $500 fee that would be split by the buyer and seller."

That way they can get the goobers who move in, and the poor souls with sanity who move out.

You get 'em Kwame. You da man! ;)

[The Great RJ]

Our elected officials are just looking for easy new sources of taxes. Like cigarettes and booze the politicians can make claims that this fast food tax is for health reasons i.e. to "save the children" from obesity. This is the ultimate hypocrisy.

[12 Gauge Mossberg]

Sounds like Detroit is being ruled by third world leaders.

The city is being run into the ground by a hip-hop mayor who drives around in a tricked out SUV.

[longtermmemmory]

executions will continue until moral improves

taxes will increase until revenues rise.

It the municipality confiscated 110% of all property and moneys it still would not be enough.

[longtermmemmory]

if wolfgang puck can call a pizza "pizza" by putting a mere three DROPS (literally) of tomato sauce, then I am sure these "fast food" owners can either slooooow down the "fast" (if fast is 2 minutes then food is delivered 2 minutes plus one second) or nutrition, then sprinkle 1 GRAIN of wheat germ on the food and make it "healthy".

Perhaps someone should think about just buying detroit for the "free state" project.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Maybe they could also tax the popcorn sold in all of Detroit's movie theaters? This could raise a small fortune.

Small is right. There are no movie theatres or department stores in Detroit.

[longtermmemmory]

I met someone who fled detroit, he said some unrepeatable descriptions about the current "race baiting leadership" and insider corruption.


I get the impression, they WANT everyone of the "wrong skin color" to leave (ala Mandella's South Africa) so they can just "take" the abandoned properties or buy them at fire sale prices.

[longtermmemmory]

I wonder what is left?

WIll it get so bad that Michigan unicorporates the city?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Big cities like Detroit received billions of dollars since the Great Society's inception and have zilch to show for it.

Most of the money went to corrupt city council members, administrators, unions, and others who hide behind the "city official" banner.

[longtermmemmory]

it only gets worse since detroit has a shrinking population so it gets LESS federal dollars. Less in school, less from feds.

[Xenalyte]

"Just tell him we're going to go to Bloomfield Hills to McDonald's if he puts a tax on it," said Ebony Ellis, 18, referring to the affluent Detroit suburb, as she and four friends ate at a Golden Arches in Detroit. The high school classmates eat at McDonald's every day after school because their schedule doesn't leave them time for lunch.

No way. I'm calling BS on this one.

[goldstategop]

They do tax restaurant meals all over the country but now they want to tax fast food in Detroit. An extra nickel - guess what? That means higher prices every time you buy a burger and fries. Now rich people like Kwaeme Kilpatrick might not notice it but average people do. In Michigan, there's 11 percent in combined tax burden, state and local before you buy. In stories like this one, a city's always crying poverty and they need to raise taxes to close a self-inflicted deficit, but there's NEVER a mention of cutting taxes. I guess they haven't heard of Reaganomics yet in Motor City. For example, the much loathed Bush tax cuts brought in a surge of federal revenue. And yet for liberals, stimulating the economy by allowing people to keep more of their dollars so they can invest and save as they choose is ALWAYS an unthinkable option. Detroit is a town where to put it simply, politicians can't think outside the box as far as spending and taxes are concerned. Hey, just tax the Big Mac and fries and we'll be OK.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Snickersnee]

Coming soon: surtaxes on Newports and "Forties." $$$!

[XXXXX88XXXXX]

Ha! If Mayor Kwame really wanted to raise more revenue to throw down the rathole that the city of Detroit has become, he's slap a hefty tax on any bottle of Mickey's Malt carried out as a short dog in a brown bag.

[stands2reason]

You mean poo-poos? ;-)

[Killborn]

Oh bloody hell! How about this TAX? I want to put a tax on all communists, socialists, terrorists, traitors. murderers, rapists, child sex offenders, and anyone else serving life without parole and people on the death penalty

100% of their income. Should eliminate the entire Demonseptic party and take care of our national budget for years and years to come. Hell, might even solve our national deficit! Sounds like a good idea to me!

[MarkL]

In New York, Assemblyman Felix Ortiz has proposed a 1 percent tax on junk food, video games and TV commercials to fund anti-obesity programs.

How in the world would you tax TV commercials?

Mark

[MarkL]

I say that they impose an additional 5% tax on the wages of these politicians. And it could be called the "Stupid Tax!"

Mark