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."
“Jizya tax on non-muslimes.”
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Spot on.
“One cannot,by “executive order” impose a tax,can one?”
Oh, you’re referring to that quaint, flawed document called the Constitution? We don’t use that anymore.
Will the tax be levied on “holiday trees” or “
Christmas trees”
If on the politically correct “holday trees’ then the industry and public can avoid it by labeling them Christmas trees.
Who knew those evil Christmas Tree Growers were part of the 1%.
Taxing suggestions:
-Christmas wrapping paper & bows
-Candy Cane Tax
-Tax the evil strings of white lights people use to decorate their homes
-Tax the Baby Jesus in the manger scenes
That’s “Christmas Wishing Tree”
It would seem the USDA is in direct conflict with the First Amendment and are interfering with the Christian religion.
What would the president say if the USDA imposed a tax on Ramadan Maggots or Ramadan beheading swords or mo-ham-mud approved toilet paper pre-crapped upon with satanic verses from the Koran?
Fellow Conservatives, every day we are losing the war against an overreaching and blatantly unconstitutional government and still we fail to head the words of Thomas Jefferson. What a bunch of wimps we have become. We are now jokes just like the Euro-Wimps.
They need to impost a 15 cent tax on Buggy Whips too- to promote their use, since people are increasingly moving towards them newfangled automobile thingamajiggers, consarn it~!
I doubt this will be about traditional trees and if it is, head fake.
I like the fact the Zero is meddling with an American tradition.
Once again the economic retard in chief thinks you can help the Christmas tree industry by increasing the price 15%. That is an insult to retards in general.
Charging a tax on something to fund a marketing campaign to sell more of them is just strange. I thought one reason for high cigarette taxes was to make them harder to buy, to discourage smoking. Why would it be the opposite for Christmas trees?
I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I have to admit, this looks like an unprovoked slam on Christmas.
Because that was the promise.
Aversion to accountability. Congress shifts authority every chance it gets. Vote the bums out.
I had to check the URL because I was certain this was an “Onion” piece.
I wonder when obama is going to propose a tax on muslim prayer rugs.
Anyone find a link on the USDA web site for this stupidity?
I have searched for the topic and recent news but have come up with zip, zero, nada.
If you can find a link we would all appreciate it.
No. If Zero finds out you could be fined and jailed for clear cutting without a permit. Whether they are on your land or not, those are not YOUR trees.
All your trees are belonging to us!
1. Taxing a religious symbol violates the “free exercise” clause of the first amendment.
2. Federal promotion of commerce in a religious symbol violates the “establishment” clause of the first amendment.
Leftists have long striven to eliminate non-Islam religion, in particular Christian ones. Now apparently this tax is to help promote a Christian holiday icon.
Frankly most people where to find a Christmas tree at Christmas.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed two members to serve on the Popcorn Board. Representatives will serve a three-year term of office beginning Jan. 1, 2012 and ending Dec. 31, 2014.
The Secretary reappointed Mark E. Schleisman of Lake City, Iowa and a new member, Richard Duty of Denver, Colo., to the Popcorn Board. The five-member board is composed of eligible popcorn processors who distribute over four million pounds of popcorn annually.WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed two members to serve on the Popcorn Board. Representatives will serve a three-year term of office beginning Jan. 1, 2012 and ending Dec. 31, 2014.
The Secretary reappointed Mark E. Schleisman of Lake City, Iowa and a new member, Richard Duty of Denver, Colo., to the Popcorn Board. The five-member board is composed of eligible popcorn processors who distribute over four million pounds of popcorn annually.”
How is this not a separation of church and state issue?
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