Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Tanning Tax Dooms Tanning Businesses....Really?

I patron a lovely little tanning salon in my community over the course of two years. I arrived there Monday greeted by a sign on the door that said this:


EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY ALL TANNING PACKAGES WILL RECEIVE A 10% TAX INCREASE. YOU CAN THANK OBAMA!
 ( I had a nifty pic of the sign but cannot upload photos, WTF)


I did recall hearing somewhere that Obama wanted to raise taxes on recreational type activities and I did recall hearing something about tanning being a target. I smoke and tan and both are bad. So I do not mind having my price effected. I would rather they effect that than groceries or school fees or paycheck deducted taxes, so I am okay with that. I mean honestly no one wants anything to go up especially for tax purposes but something has to go up right? I felt that tanning was a good choice. SInce it is not medically necessary and actually is quite bad for you, I am okay with it, It equals only less than $2 a month for me so I can deal.


However I did think that posting "Thank Obama" on the door was a bit inappropriate.  So I decided to do a little fact checking then I read this article explaining the tax increase http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/24/news/economy/tanning_tax/. They are saying this will put tanning businesses out of business. Really??? As I stated it effects my cost by less than $2 monthly. So is $2 really gonna shut down the place? I could go on and on about this but won't. I'd rather focus on the fact that the salon had this sign on the door. I was taken aback by it. I personally do not feel that  you should advertise your political views on your businesses front door. But this is America, the land of the free. I get that it is your place but I don't know something about it makes me uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable enough to stop going there just enough to annoy me.


What do you think?

7 comments:

  1. I think they need to chill out.

    Honestly do you see signs on Phillip Morris's door? I HATE smoking. My mom is gone because of her life of cigarettes and coffee as a diet so not a fan here.
    But Philip Morris was one of my clients.
    I never saw or heard any bitching from them or on their front door. They were told that they could no longer advertise on tv or in print or that they were being taxed heavily and the media and certain groups were shouting they would be losing business or out of business in a few years. All that happened while they were my clients.

    Where have they gone? smoking is up, way up. So the hysteria is the same now for tanning business. People will always want to fake bake. Telling them it's taxed or hurtful to them won't make a hill of beans.
    They can calm down. And you can look great!
    Doesn't every body look better with a tan though? :-)

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  2. From the article -

    "Adrienne Zarisky, a regular tanner, said she has used tanning salons several times a week for the last two years in order to maintain sufficient levels of Vitamin D."

    I got a good laugh from this one.

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  3. Go buy yourself a bottle of Loreal Sublime bronzer and fake it.

    It's cheaper and it's MUCH healthier.

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  4. Thanks for visiting my blog. As to the tax on tanning? I don't tan, but I really do think the government ought to lower taxes, rather than raise them. Capitalism is what has made our country so great. If you can find a way to make money, and lots of it, go for it. Don't let the gov't have more than its fair share.

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  5. The tanning tax has to do with financing Healthcare. I am for universal healthcare. I think health insurance should be abolished and a single payer system set up. If you're really rich and want concierge health care service where the doctor attends all your social events and attends to your flu shot at your pool on a Saturday afternoon, then hire the fancy doctor seperately!

    I agree on the keeping your political views private when you own a business. I also think the same for religious views. It irritates the heck out of me to see a business say they are "God fearing" or some such thing. The little gold fish symbols on cars are what? They want you to be more careful around their car or feel more like the sinner we all are, because you are next to a car owned by a Christian?

    Maybe I should write a rant about this! SMILE

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  6. Peg- I agree, I certainly wont cut back because of it.

    Mike- What's so funny, Vitamin D is important?

    Candice- Yes but messier

    Charlene- Please do rant about this. I actually commented on another blog and thats what got me started on my rant.

    Linda-Well, Welcome...I only briefly visited your blog but I will be back around soon.

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  7. I think this is a great topic to blog about. People who are non-tanners, like myself do not realize the tax is in place. I do think it is ok to tax tanning, but I can see that 10% might be a little high. Where I am from, people get upset if they want to raise sales tax by 1%. If there was a raise in taxes by 10% people would probably start rioting.

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