The Pimp Tax

[Road Ratt]

Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is hoping to stamp out the sex trade by taxing pimps and prostitutes, then jailing them when they don't pay.

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote Wednesday morning on the pimp tax. The bill also calls for more jail time for sex workers.

If passed, the provision will authorize at least $2 million toward the establishment of an office in the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation unit to prosecute unlawful sex workers for violations of tax laws.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/...tax/index.html

Taxing something that is illegal in the first place, that's hilarious .

On a more serious note: Their must be a better way to waste tax payer dollars than this idea.

[Bortaz]

Heh. Ridiculous.

[Ash Housewares]

You are in Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiowaaaaaaaaaaay

[PFS]

Can't they just seize all the money earned through criminal activities anyway? Why go for 20-30% when you can get 100% (or more if you add a fine on!)

Unless they're legalizing prostitution...

[Sokar Rostau]

Something I have always wondered about. Prostitution is legal in Australia so long as the place of business is beyond a certain distance from a school or place of worship. We have the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a 10% tax put on almost everything to replace a myriad of other taxes about five years ago. Here's the thing: prostitution is legal and I can't see any other definition for it than a service. Do prostitutes therefore have to pay GST?

[kobold]

Something I have always wondered about. Prostitution is legal in Australia so long as the place of business is beyond a certain distance from a school or place of worship. We have the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a 10% tax put on almost everything to replace a myriad of other taxes about five years ago. Here's the thing: prostitution is legal and I can't see any other definition for it than a service. Do prostitutes therefore have to pay GST?

Well, if they were in Canada, they would have to:

a) report income from all sources (including prostitution) on your annual return.

b) if you have "business income" in excess of $30,000 per annum, register to charge GST when providing a service.

A bit silly, as I can't imagine a prostitute either reporting this income or registering for GST. However, I am pretty sure that the government could get you for not paying the tax on the income. Only problem there is that it is a cash based series of transactions, no records to speak of. (accountant joke coming...) Doing a net worth assessment would be hilarious!

[Johnny]

What I allways wondered is how can prostitution be illegal but making porn movies be legal.

Technicly I could open a brothel (amen) and then people could come in and have sex with prostitutes as long as there is a video camera (with no tape in it) present in the room.

If anyone asks Im just making porn for personal use.

Then when they are done I can sell the customer a breath mint for $1000 and the girls get $500 per customers as waitress for said breathmint.

[Sokar Rostau]

There is a brothel in Melbourne that is listed on the Stock Exchange. Perhaps GST is applied to the gross business income rather than the workers paying it individually?

[DPH]

What I allways wondered is how can prostitution be illegal but making porn movies be legal.

Technicly I could open a brothel (amen) and then people could come in and have sex with prostitutes as long as there is a video camera (with no tape in it) present in the room.

If anyone asks Im just making porn for personal use.

Then when they are done I can sell the customer a breath mint for $1000 and the girls get $500 per customers as waitress for said breathmint.

Need a partner for your business :grin: ?

[myleftfoot]

Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is hoping to stamp out the sex trade by taxing pimps and prostitutes, then jailing them when they don't pay.

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote Wednesday morning on the pimp tax. The bill also calls for more jail time for sex workers.

If passed, the provision will authorize at least $2 million toward the establishment of an office in the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation unit to prosecute unlawful sex workers for violations of tax laws.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/...tax/index.html

Taxing something that is illegal in the first place, that's hilarious .

On a more serious note: Their must be a better way to waste tax payer dollars than this idea.

How is it a waste of taxpayers money?