Strip Club "Pole Tax" Would Benefit Human Trafficking Victims

State Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, a Brooklyn Democrat, is still pushing hard for a special tax on strip clubs, which he says would raise money to help victims of human trafficking. When Ortiz first proposed the tax last year, he also floated the idea of requiring strippers to purchase licenses before they could legally dance erotically. There's no mention of licensing in today's AP article, which reports only that Ortiz would like to levy a statewide, $10 tax on patrons of nude and seminude dance clubs and strip bars. Ortiz argues that the tax would generate plenty of desperately-needed dollar bills for sex trafficking victims at a time when there's no money in the budget to assist them. The bill doesn't have a Senate sponsor yet, but if it passes, strip club owners will probably just dodge the tax by moving their operations to bicycles.

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By John Del Signore in News on March 11, 2009 10:34 AM

Comments [rss]

ides_of_march

"...also floated the idea of requiring strippers to purchase licenses before they could legally dance erotically"

Now there's a new government agency for Eliot Spitzer to run. Except for maybe Bill Clinton, I can't think of anyone with a more fitting resume.

NannyState

Don't tax our lapdances.

Don't make us live in New Jersey.

openheads

I see what you did there. You said New Jersey. That makes it funny. Good job.

NannyState

Oh you're so sensitive. Too many petroleum distillates today?

openheads

I mean come of my friend, you are supposed to be the funny guy. Be funny.

Making a NJ joke on a site full of ass hat NY'ers is preaching to the choir.

NannyState

Awwright. To anybody here wasting their precious time reading my garbage, here it is: New Jersey is fabulous! I'll say it again, New Jersey is even more fabulous!

openheads

You're really not bring your A game today.

Guest

A-game or not, NJ sucks! And this is coming from someone who has lived in Georgia and Florida (also not the greatest places to live, but a hell of a lot better than Jersey!)

Trilby16

That is a lovely picture.

I hope they tax that shit out of existance, but that's just me.

Spider247

So you are ok with the government deciding what you are and are not allowed to do for entertainment? Would you be so fast to join a cause to ban R rated movies? Or to add a $10 tax to any movie rated higher then PG? Perhaps next we can add a $1 per shot tax on any alcohol over 40 proof? Would that be acceptable? Maybe we can throw in a tax for shoes costing more then $25? We can call it the "Air Jordan Tax". We are already considering taxing non-diet carbonated beverages. The state is getting out of control in trying to get more and more money from us while infringing on our freedoms at the same time. FYI, this same tax was passed in Texas and the court threw it out as unconstitutional. You can NOT have a contenet based tax. It becomes a form of censorship by taxation. The potential outcome is taxing news media sources that lean to one side over the other. Our freedom will not be lost in a war, it will be handed over piece by piece by the people that do not wish to fight to maintain it.

Guest

You actually encourage the legislation of morality? So it will be OK when they decide to charge you with conception of an idea?

felixthecat2

what a gross picture, not sexy at all.

Bluealways

Let's help victims of human trafficking by charging victims of human trafficking a fee. Brilliant.

Endless Ike

Does this mean cover charge is now going to be 10 dollars higher at every strip club?

NYS is fuckign retarded

starrygordon

Is there supposed to be some connection between erotic performances and "sex trafficking" that would be addressed by taxing the former, and if so, what is it?

MT

Not that I've ever been to a strip club and don't really care about the people who do go there, but am I the only one who is fed up with these nickle and dime taxes that seem to be coming at us from everywhere lately? Enough!