City of Pottsville mulls tattoo tax
(above, city council mulling tattoo tax - photograph courtesy of the Republican Herald newspaper)Anticipating a looming budget crunch, the city of Pottsville plans to appoint a panel of citizens, business leaders and artistans to study the pros and cons of a yearly levy on tattoos.
With the rapid expansion of non-profits within the city evaporating the
property tax base, stark challenges face the city to tackle the inevitable
deficit.
The Pottsville Club has recently been removed from the tax rolls and
it is anticipated that the downtown Thompson Building will soon be removed from
the rolls - if the plans to transform the building into a home for the sufferers
of Boreas Apokriésphobia come to fruition. For those not versed in greek language, that
translates into a home for those who have a fear of winter carnival.
Rumors
also persist -, with the help of this blog - that Barefield Development will
acquire every remaining bank within the city limits by the end of 2016 forcing
the city to mint its own new currency featuring the likeness of the former mayor Claude Lord.
Opponents of the new tax believe that there are better ways
to increase revenue and have suggested that the city sell naming rights to
potholes found along the city’s decaying infrastructure.
Proponents believe that a tax on tattoos could allow the
city to cover any deficit and avoid more drastic measures, like turning off all
traffic lights during day-light hours, limiting snow removal to the summer
months, having trash pick-up in months that only end in “R,” or filling JFK
pool up only to the three foot level.
To address the looming shortfall, proponents have suggested
that the city council consider a tax of up to $1.25 per every 2.54 centimeters* on tattoos, a
move that some say would generate about $225,000 per year in added revenue. Furthermore, with the obesity epidemic in full
swing, these tattoos will stretch over time gradually increasing the amount of
tax revenue without tinkering with the tax rate. For example, one young woman who had a tattoo
of a hummingbird inked onto her abdomen ten years ago would have been taxed
approximately $2.50; but over time, with the help of a staple diet of funnel
cake and pizza, that hummingbird will have grown to the size of a bald eagle.
As a result, the tax would have increased proportionately to about $15.00.
Some councilmen believe that taxing
tattoos is unconstitutional - a violation of first amendment rights, citing the
beloved tattoo of the American flag that Betsy Ross had inked across her entire
back.
Exemptions from the tax would have
to be made to withstand a court challenge.
At this point in the discussion, The City Treasurers Office will have
cards to be filled out allowing the following exemptions:
1.
Tattoos that depict religion or religious
symbols, such as a cross, menorah, star of David, crescent moon, Thor's hammer, etc.
2.
Tattoos that are political symbols, such as the statue
of liberty, elephants, donkeys, hammer and sickles, etc.
3.
Tattoos that depict political personalities,
such as portraits of Metro Litwak, Tom Corbett, Herman Cain, Nancy Pelosi, former Mayor
Reilly, etc.
4.
Tattoos that depict one’s Irish heritage, such
as leprechauns, shamrocks, “Kiss me I’m Irish,” Claddaghs, etc.
5.
Tattoos commonly referred to as “tramp stamps”
that are found on the lower-back side of women under the age of 26 that seem to
cry out the words, “buy me three drinks and I’ll do anything you ask me to do.” Proof of age will be required to qualify for
this exemption, as this latter exemption was slipped into the ordinance
proposal due to the overwhelming popularity of the “tramp stamp” on young
women.
Mayor James T. Muldowney emphasized Tuesday that the city council has not made a
decision about a tattoo tax and that he wants citizens to weigh in on the
proposal in the coming weeks.
“There’s
a lot to digest here,” Muldowney said. “I want everybody to get as educated as
they can (on this), please contact city hall with any comments while we continue to mull.”
* Pottsville adopted the
metric system in 2006.
