oggbashan
Dying Truth seeker
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2002
- Posts
- 56,017
"Friday December 19, 03:39 PM
Cash-strapped German city to levy sex tax
BERLIN (Reuters) - The German city of Cologne is resorting to a "sex tax" on brothels to boost its revenues after national reforms left local authorities short of cash.
City authorities confirmed on Friday they were extending the existing "pleasure tax" -- already levied on casinos and amusement arcades -- to brothels, erotic massage parlours and table-dancing clubs.
Cologne expects to triple its pleasure tax revenues, Inge Schuermann, a city spokeswoman told Reuters.
"This is about making taxes fair but also because we are more than up to our necks in financial problems," she said, shortly after Germany's parliament approved the country's biggest welfare shake-up in decades.
Under Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's reforms, taxes are to be distributed to ensure local authorities receive a greater share of revenues. But Cologne, Germany's fourth largest city, said that was insufficient.
"The government's reforms are clearly not enough to provide a solid financial basis for local authorities," Schuermann said.
Under Cologne's plan, pleasure tax gains will triple to three million euros (1.85 million pounds) in 2004, when the tax is extended to cover "dancers, displays of people and similar activities with the aim of achieving an erotic effect". Cologne's total tax revenue in 2002 was around 1 billion euros.
One worker at the city's Colonia nudist sauna said: "This will have a negative effect on businesses throughout the sector because we'll have to put up prices to compensate. Lots of businesses will complain about this and try to block it."
Schuermann said the city had received no formal objections since the idea was first made public in May.
Prostitution is legal in Germany and prostitutes already pay tax on their income and a value-added tax. "
Could they tax Literotica? If "the tax is extended to cover "dancers, displays of people and similar activities with the aim of achieving an erotic effect"." then Literotica seems to be a fair target.
Og
Cash-strapped German city to levy sex tax
BERLIN (Reuters) - The German city of Cologne is resorting to a "sex tax" on brothels to boost its revenues after national reforms left local authorities short of cash.
City authorities confirmed on Friday they were extending the existing "pleasure tax" -- already levied on casinos and amusement arcades -- to brothels, erotic massage parlours and table-dancing clubs.
Cologne expects to triple its pleasure tax revenues, Inge Schuermann, a city spokeswoman told Reuters.
"This is about making taxes fair but also because we are more than up to our necks in financial problems," she said, shortly after Germany's parliament approved the country's biggest welfare shake-up in decades.
Under Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's reforms, taxes are to be distributed to ensure local authorities receive a greater share of revenues. But Cologne, Germany's fourth largest city, said that was insufficient.
"The government's reforms are clearly not enough to provide a solid financial basis for local authorities," Schuermann said.
Under Cologne's plan, pleasure tax gains will triple to three million euros (1.85 million pounds) in 2004, when the tax is extended to cover "dancers, displays of people and similar activities with the aim of achieving an erotic effect". Cologne's total tax revenue in 2002 was around 1 billion euros.
One worker at the city's Colonia nudist sauna said: "This will have a negative effect on businesses throughout the sector because we'll have to put up prices to compensate. Lots of businesses will complain about this and try to block it."
Schuermann said the city had received no formal objections since the idea was first made public in May.
Prostitution is legal in Germany and prostitutes already pay tax on their income and a value-added tax. "
Could they tax Literotica? If "the tax is extended to cover "dancers, displays of people and similar activities with the aim of achieving an erotic effect"." then Literotica seems to be a fair target.
Og
Hope it doesn't go to law here, I'd be forced into receivership.
