Posted on 11/09/2011 6:48:15 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Obama administration proposes 15 cent Christmas tree tax By Alicia M. Cohn - 11/09/11 09:17 AM ET
The Obama administration is proposing a new tax on Christmas trees to fund a board promoting the holiday trees.
The Christmas Tree Promotion Board would be funded by a new 15 cent per tree tax on large-scale producers of Christmas trees. A group of Christmas tree producers and importers worried about the skyrocketing use of artificial trees proposed the new board.
Under the proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the board would seek to revitalize the marketing and image of fresh-cut Christmas trees, which have been overwhelmed in recent years by sales of artificial trees. The Christmas Tree Checkoff Task Force, the group of producers and importers who suggested the board, said the market share of artificial trees increased 655 percent from 1965 to 2008.
According to the agency, the new board is designed to be an "industry-funded promotion, research, and information program for fresh cut Christmas trees." Board members would be nominated from within the industry.
Past marketing efforts have resulted in an uptick in fresh tree sales, but such "voluntary marketing program[s] suffer from a lack of funding," according to the agency.
"Producers and importers that domestically produce or import less than 500 Christmas trees annually would be exempt from the assessment," according to the proposal, which is listed in the Nov. 8 Federal Register. Small-scale producers, along with organic producers, would have to submit an exception request to the board.
The proposed tax is authorized under the 1996 Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act that authorizes the agency "to establish agricultural commodity research and promotion orders."
Only reason we use fresh trees is because we own a couple hundred acres of forest land up against Nat’l Forest and chop our own every year. If Zero finds out....will I have to pay 15 cents to the gov’t for my tree?
correct
I spend my Christmas money and do my Christmas shopping where they sell Christmas stuff, if a store does not have Christmas then it tells me they do not want my Christmas money .
“am I missing something but since when can zero impose new taxes?”
I asked that last night and have yet to get an answer.
LOL...PERFECT.
Someone needs to put together an image of Obama as a tree topper, because the general public told him where he can stick his tree tax.
ping to 23
TOTUS’ Tree Tariff.
FUBO and the media sycophants you rode in on!
Apparently, congress voted to give up its own authority. I will never understand why they do this kind of thing (super-committee on my mind).
F U B O
No joke. It’s all over the net. The muzzie is taxing Christians’ CHRISTmas trees. Just another slap in the face in his long line of slaps.
Adding more bacon to the grocery list.
Then why do they need a tax to support it?
We haven’t put up a tree in years. Instead, we put up a nativity scene and gather around it. It’s much more meaningful.
if you ever get an answer could you let me know please.
I am miffed as to why the President can set up a task force and then come out with a new tax, now where the hell is congress ?
Last I knew it is the job of Congress but I will wait to be corrected.
See the sixth paragraph. They tried, but they need the government to force everyone to pay in.
What we need is a Christmas Tree Czar.
Freakin’ idiots.
In a typical paradox move the Government will then ban real trees because of the fire hazard. They will charge 30 cent tax on fake trees, 15 cents of which will go to the real tree promoters to make up for the lost revenue.
Will I have to mail in the tax if I grow my own or even poach a free range tree? What if I have a live "live" tree that I keep in the root ball in my house and then plant after Christmas? Will Menorahs and blood soaked scimitars also be taxed, just to make it fair?
We’ve become the Soviet Union, Putin laughs at us.
What Obama sees when he thinks Christmas Tree.....
But the gree police will regulate the manufacturing of the fake trees, and demand that the public buy special containers to dispose of them when they are ready to be discarded.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.