Suit filed to fight sin tax in Texas
Earlier in the year, Texas passed HB 1751 requiring strip clubs to pay a $5 per person cover charge tax to the state to fund sexual assault prevention and victims’ programs. The law is to be effective January 1, but today, attorneys for the adult entertainment industry filed suit to block it.
The suit, filed Wednesday in Travis County, alleges that lawmakers violated club operators’ constitutional right to free speech when they approved the surcharge last spring. Owners of topless bars have argued that the fee, designed to help victims of sexual assault, imposes a discriminatory tax on their businesses and unfairly links their patrons to rape.
The author of the bill, Ellen Cohen (D, District 134) claims that the sin tax will provide $25 million for programs benefiting survivors of sexual assault. I’m certain that Ms. Cohen means well; as the president and CEO of Houston Area Women’s Center she has probably witnessed many heartbreaking cases. Even so, there isn’t anything that can justify punishing a group of law abiding individuals with a tax to fund her pet cause. But hey, I guess she saw the cigarette tax increase go over so easily and figured she’d be a fool not to try it.
I’m happy to see that club owners are fighting back.
[...] Texas legislators want people to sin, as they hope to collect revenue from folks looking at the breasts of virtually naked women. I might suggest that the law of supply [...]
GordonUnleashed » Blog Archive » Flash for Cash, Texas Style said this on December 10, 2007 at 9:46 pm |