Nutter And Another Tax! (Philadelphia, Columbia: to buy, school, taxi)

[phillies2011]

Originally Posted by tintin19119

This might sound crazy to you, How about making it more inviting for new business,instead of bleeding your tax base dry. Take a good look!
Best and Worst US Cities for Small-Business Workers

Even if changes in this regard were implemented immediately, which is unrealistic in the best of circumstances, it will still be years before the results are felt. Philadelphia and Pennsylvania need to do a better job of attracting jobs to the city, but in the short run Philadelphia needs to balance it's budget for this city's immediate future.

Making philadelphia more friendly to the small businesses is a must, but it won't solve any problems for next year's budget. In the short term that budget gap must be bridged and there is only two ways to do it. Cuts to services and raising taxes. So no, it is not a false dichotomy. For every dollar we can't raise, that's a dollar we'll have to cut.

If this tax brings Philadelphia more revenue in the immediate future that would mean less cuts would need to be made, so yes the jobs of teachers, fireman and other city employees could be saved that would have otherwise been lost.

Plus, taxing strip joints is just the type of business you want to tax. For one the business is an undesirable one, it brings nuisance and crime to it's near neighbors. No one will be upset if onerous taxes means fewer options in philly when it comes to strip clubs.

Not to mention the fact that a strip club is exactly the type of business that would not relocate elsewhere no matter how high taxes rise. Philadelphia sits in the center of 6 million person metro, no matter what, someone will be able to find a way to tap into that intense demand and access that market. it might mean higher costs for the consumer, but again, who cares, it's totally discretionary spending, it's a strip club. it's not like we have to ensure access to strip clubs is preserved for the less fortunate.

[mancat100]

Originally Posted by phillies2011

it's not like we have to ensure access to strip clubs is preserved for the less fortunate.

Don't give the brain trust on City Council any ideas. Next thing you know they'll vote in a subsidy for Delilah's to open a branch in Strawberry Mansion.

[alphamale]

Originally Posted by tintin19119

LOL! now your mayor wants to tax lap dances. Maybe he should put a tax on your first born. WAKE UP PEOPLE!

Philadelphia Gentlemen’s Clubs Set To Challenge Tax On Lap Dances « CBS Philly

So don't get lap dances.

[alphamale]

Originally Posted by Cnote11

I actually quite like Mayor Nutter. I'm not crazy about taxes, although I don't really care about them as much as, say, a "conservative libertarian" does. In ideal, I'm probably anti-tax, although I understand the reasoning for implementing taxes and I'm not necessarily against their implementation. However, I don't think it is wise to keep introducing taxes on things like these, and not because of some "slippery slope/what are they going to tax next" concept, but because it really eats at the morale of a lot of people when they're being grouped up on. For instance, the clubs already come under the entertainment tax, and that should cover all the entertainment provided by the club, including lap dances. I can support and see the reasoning for the AVI, but this stinks of desperation and I don't feel like I could get behind these sort of taxes unless it was A) Short-term revenue only and B) It had a backing plan to phase it out and introduce something to produce steady revenue.

I can understand the Soda tax/ban and all that kind of stuff. I really can sympathize with Bloomberg's motives. Life is America, to me, is sort of weird. I travel to Canada, Europe/Britain, etc. and the chip bags at their largest and the cup sizes for sodas and the like aren't even 50% of what people go around with in America. I do find it bizarre, and yes even harmful. However, I don't really see what good introducing a tax/ban would do and by introducing a tax/ban, you're basically creating animosity when it was obvious the ban probably wouldn't even see the light of day. It wasn't needed and it was politically harmful for the country. Politics in this country is slapping a new coat of paint on something rusting underneath. If you want the country to change, you have to usher in little changes through a longer period of time, and it has to be done at the cultural level and not the legislative level.

Says one who probably doesn't pay taxes.

[Cnote11]

Originally Posted by alphamale

Says one who probably doesn't pay taxes.

You're right. I've avoided paying taxes my entire life somehow Because yes, I've never had a job (income tax), I've never bought anything (sales tax), etc. etc. You're right, I don't own a home, but there are more taxes than just those taxes that come along with owning a home. Whether I do or do not pay taxes is all also irrelevant to the entire thing anyway, especially seeing as how my post stated that I am not for the taxes, but okay.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by alphamale

So don't get lap dances.

Did Mayor Nutter consult with any strippers before annoucing his tax proposal on lap dances?

[alphamale]

Originally Posted by Cnote11

You're right. I've avoided paying taxes my entire life somehow Because yes, I've never had a job (income tax), I've never bought anything (sales tax), etc. etc. You're right, I don't own a home, but there are more taxes than just those taxes that come along with owning a home. Whether I do or do not pay taxes is all also irrelevant to the entire thing anyway, especially seeing as how my post stated that I am not for the taxes, but okay.

My bet is that you are a trust fund 30 something who never worked a day in your life due to need.

That's okay....but you did say that you approve of Bloomberg and his social engineering agenda.

[Cnote11]

Originally Posted by alphamale

My bet is that you are a trust fund 30 something who never worked a day in your life due to need.

That's okay....but you did say that you approve of Bloomberg and his social engineering agenda.

Well, you'd be wrong. I'm a high school drop out who grew up in and around Detroit who had to support his parents since the age of 15/16 when they were both stricken by various ailments (cancer, head trauma, severe heart problems, etc.) and could not work. I've been out on the streets twice. The only meal my family had at times was moldy bread that barely averted the dumpster. I'm pretty sure I've had "need" in my life. I then worked my way up to going to an Ivy League school in order to fulfill my ambitions and make my life better. For the record, excepting those that ban transfer students, I was essentially admitted to every top ranked school (e.g. Penn, Columbia, Michigan, Berkeley, Brown, Cornell, etc.) besides the ones I willingly refused to apply for. I continue to be very successful. You're apparently not very bright because you A) can't make an accurate prediction and B) can't read a simple post either. I said I can sympathize with his intentions, providing his intentions are to make healthier lives for Americans and ease the stress on the medical system. Do you consider these negative things? I then went on to say I do not approve of his actions. I know it is difficult for an ideologue to grasp the concept of "seeing both sides" or "seeing the intent, but not approving of the execution" or anything like that. I can tell you live in a black-and-white world, and you're probably proud of that.

Either way, I'm happy that I come off as a trust fund 30-something. My father worked in factories as an auto-industry (non-union, btw) blue-collar guy, with all the bumps and bruises that went along with it, like getting poisoned and all that other fun stuff that people like you approve of. I grew up in a house that was barely educated. I'm the first person ever in the history of my family to receive a tertiary education (post-secondary for you to understand). So few in my family history even completed high school. The fact that I come off as a trust fund 30-something just means that I've come a far way in my life in terms of finance and education. So thanks, alphamale, I'll take it as a compliment.

[mancat100]

Originally Posted by Cnote11

Well, you'd be wrong. I'm a high school drop out who grew up in and around Detroit who had to support his parents since the age of 15/16 when they were both stricken by various ailments (cancer, head trauma, severe heart problems, etc.) and could not work. I've been out on the streets twice. The only meal my family had at times was moldy bread that barely averted the dumpster. I'm pretty sure I've had "need" in my life. I then worked my way up to going to an Ivy League school in order to fulfill my ambitions and make my life better. For the record, excepting those that ban transfer students, I was essentially admitted to every top ranked school (e.g. Penn, Columbia, Michigan, Berkeley, Brown, Cornell, etc.) besides the ones I willingly refused to apply for. I continue to be very successful. You're apparently not very bright because you A) can't make an accurate prediction and B) can't read a simple post either. I said I can sympathize with his intentions, providing his intentions are to make healthier lives for Americans and ease the stress on the medical system. Do you consider these negative things? I then went on to say I do not approve of his actions. I know it is difficult for an ideologue to grasp the concept of "seeing both sides" or "seeing the intent, but not approving of the execution" or anything like that. I can tell you live in a black-and-white world, and you're probably proud of that.

Either way, I'm happy that I come off as a trust fund 30-something. My father worked in factories as an auto-industry (non-union, btw) blue-collar guy, with all the bumps and bruises that went along with it, like getting poisoned and all that other fun stuff that people like you approve of. I grew up in a house that was barely educated. I'm the first person ever in the history of my family to receive a tertiary education (post-secondary for you to understand). So few in my family history even completed high school. The fact that I come off as a trust fund 30-something just means that I've come a far way in my life in terms of finance and education. So thanks, alphamale, I'll take it as a compliment.

Oh snap!!!

[MikeNigh]

Damn