Posted on 01/16/2011 6:22:34 PM PST by markomalley
It could cost a good deal more to be bad this year.
Cash-strapped state lawmakers across the country are looking at raising "sin" taxes on everything from traditional vices, like smoking cigarettes and imbibing alcohol, to more recently vilified habits like drinking sugary sodas and hitting the tanning salon.
- In Mississippi, state Rep. John Mayo, citing the state's place at the top of national obesity ratings, is sponsoring a bill that would add about 25 cents in new taxes to a can of soda.
- In New York, state Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, Brooklyn Democrat, wants a new "fat tax," a surcharge on the purchase of sweets and snacks.
- In Maryland, dozens of state lawmakers are getting behind a plan to raise $200 million in revenue with new taxes on beer and wine, but in the face of strong opposition from the state's business community.
Other states and jurisdictions are looking at taxing the use of plastic shopping bags, raising fees for casinos - even in gambling meccas such as Nevada - and taxing tanning salons. In California, proponents of easing restrictions on marijuana cited the tax revenue legal pot could bring in. Some states have even considered new taxes on buyers of pornography and patrons of strip clubs.
Analysts say lawmakers are motivated far less by a desire to reduce sinning than by a need to increase revenue.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Sin taxes are popular because they don’t have politically power constituencies. There’s not much defense of tobacco, alcohol, sweet snacks or gambling.
Look for taxes on these goods to go up.
How about the dope happy states like CA and CO starting w a $20/oz tax?
I think that is one of the big reasons behind the push to legalize it.
Time to start taxing politicians, lobbyists, and community organizers?
Mr Capone??
Mr. Al Capone - please pick up the white courtesy phone.....
Whatever you tax you get less of.
Ergo, they raise the taxes on sodas, sugar snacks, tobbacco and alcohol, people will cut back........
I wish!
You’ll also see new “initiatives” to increase highway safety. More seat belt, speeding and DWI enforcement. I’m noticing a LOT more police cars running radar.
Besides, they will find that this is a great way to raise money: for the people willing to bootleg whatever it is that is being taxed.
Think "bootlegging" went out with Prohibition? Think again! I hear that these days it is cigarettes, but I am sure it could just as easily be soft drinks.
Why, so you want to tax tanning booths. What's to stop me from buying my very own tanning bed and installing it in a bedroom in my house, then inviting my friends to use it?
I don't see how these taxes will raise as much money as they think, because people will either cut it out, cut back, or find a way around paying.
“How about the dope happy states like CA and CO starting w a $20/oz tax?”
Dealers most affected.
In a recent column, marriage expert Mike McManus explores the high cost of out-of-wedlock sex. For instance, over 7 million American couples live together. Four out of five of those couples will break up without ever tying the knot. But, McManus writes, if they’ve had a baby, many of those mothers and children will be eligible for Medicaid, housing and day-care subsidies, and food stamps.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/should-we-have-a-sex-tax
Should we have a sex tax?
by The Editors
Tue Jan 11, 2011 13:11 EST
These kinds of new taxes are great news for mobsters and racketeers.
Paying cash for black market tanning beds might be a start.
States and the Feds should not be allowed to impose a tax on something which they disaprove of. If they don’t like people smoking they should be forbidden to tax cigarettes, butt out.The pols put a tax on boat builders and pretty well destroyed that industry before it was repealed. Didn’t bother them a bit. The FEDS lost more revenue than they gained.
Heck... jest tax liberals!
We have the alcohol tax increase coming in MD, Dems already raised taxes on cigarettes and increased the sales tax.
Is it too much to suggest that maybe the “sins” they should tax are those of irresponsible sex??? Instead they are sooooooo PC. They only go after those behaviors that the liberals are scorning at the moment.
Here in WA state, sin taxes have been rampant over the decades. But, we just overturned a slew of sin taxes this last election and sent a stark message to Olympia. Scared the hell out of the Governor and the tax and spend legislators.
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