Friday, February 15, 2008

Crack Tax

Recently, the Reason's Hit&Run reported that over in Tennessee,U.S. they collect taxes on illegal substances (drugs, moonshine, etc.) apparently the revenue department has vowed they will not share info with the cops as long as the drug dealers pay up taxes. Now if that wasn't WTF enough, The NY Post reports this :
A prominent Democratic Queens assemblyman yesterday warned that Gov. Spitzer's proposed tax on illegal drugs - dubbed the "crack tax" by critics - could unfairly impact the drug dealers themselves.

Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry told Spitzer Tax Commissioner Robert Megna during a legislative budget hearing that requiring drug users and dealers to pay state sales tax on their illegal stash is an undue burden since they already face fines and possible forfeiture of property and money.

"This component adds another financial hardship on people who don't have a lot of money," Aubry said.

Aubry, chairman of the Assembly Corrections Committee, added that the plan could "create another class of individual who can't escape the process and has to go back out and sell drugs."

Said Megna, "It is not our intent to burden certain portions of the population." [link]
I mean, I couldn't agree more. All drug dealers need our love and protection.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

In my opinion, I think the Assemblyman has a valid point, when you think about the lower-level drug dealers. These are guys who push drugs to earn cash for drugs.

Maybe a tiered tax structure?

Deane said...

Nah.. just leave the buggers alone.. and some of us too.