Tax Yoga, Help the Poor?
istolethetv
Double-taxes for this well-groomed, flexible Frenchie!
No one enjoys higher or additional taxes, but judging from some of the pleas for support I’ve received from various groups that are worried about how budget cuts will affect the poorest, youngest, most vulnerable residents of our city, I wonder if taxing yoga and sweet-smelling dogs is preferable (or more ethical). Via the City Paper:
Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry wants to extend D.C.’s sales tax to include: pet grooming, health clubs, armored car services, private investigations and admission to live performances.
You’ll recall that similar measures were considered last budget go round, but the all-powerful Yoga lobby put a squash to them.
Anyway, Barry also wants to raise the tax rate on parking from 12 percent to 16 percent, and raise the minimum franchise tax from $100 to $1,000. All together, Barry says his proposed tax increases would raise $41.1 million and allow the council to restore cuts to social services proposed in Still Mayor Adrian Fenty‘s budget, specifically the cuts to welfare recipients that Barry initially proposed.
The “all-powerful” Yoga lobby? Sounds ominous.
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