Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
Apparently, public outrage does have an impact.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to delay implementation and revisit a proposed new 15 cent fee on fresh-cut Christmas trees, sources tell ABC News. The fee, requested by the National Christmas Tree Association in 2009, was first announced in the Federal Registry yesterday and has generated criticism of President Obama from conservative media outlets. The well-trafficked Drudge Report is leading with the story, linking to a blog by David Addington, a former top aide to then-Vice President Dick Cheney, at the conservative Heritage Foundation assailing the president thus: “The economy is barely growing and nine percent of the American people have no jobs. Is a new tax on Christmas trees the best President Obama can do? And, by the way, the American Christmas tree has a great image that doesn’t need any help from the government.”
So the tax on Christmas trees to promote the sale of Christmas trees is going to be "revisited." If "revisited" is a softer way of saying "thrown onto the ash heap of history," I say good. Moving on...
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Aug '10
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
In an effort to appear unbiased, the new tax is going to be levied on Holiday Trees.
No ruling yet on the individual hanukkah candles , but it's rumored that there may be a quantity break.
Edited on Nov 9, 2011 at 12:54pmAug '11
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
While we have 'em on the ropes, what else can we get them to "delay"?
Aug '11
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
This line from the story is golden:
Because retailers never pass along the costs of taxes and fees in the form of higher prices, do they?
Jan '11
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
A delay is meaningless - there's no lesson there.
I called the National Christmas Tree Association (see number below) and told them that their request for the $0.15 per tree was a tax incentive - it incentivised us to shop for an artificial tree.
Perhaps if they get enough feedback, an actual lesson will be learned - by them, and maybe others as well.
www.realchristmastrees.org.
636-449-5071 office (central time)
dungey@realchristmastrees.org.
Oct '10
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
Perhaps there will be a Turkey tax next to promote, well, no point going there.
Aug '10
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
I love watching rent seeking in action. First they get the tax and a "program to support the industry." Then they squash small businesses and competition using said "program."
Aug '11
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
The fact that it's delayed just means that we need to be vigilant. They'll try to push it through in April next year or something like that when nobody's paying attention to Christmas Trees.
But when it comes to taking in more money by taxes or "fees," they will have their way. They always do.
Jan '11
Re: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed
What was the issue again? Did Eric Holder want to try the Christmas trees in NYC rather than a military tribunal?