They claim it isn't really a tax. Merry Christmas from President Obama.
(The Foundry)- President Obama’s Agriculture Department today announced that it will impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees—the Christmas Tree Tax—to support a new Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.
In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States” (7 CFR 1214.10).
To pay for the new Federal Christmas tree image improvement and marketing program, the Department of Agriculture imposed a 15-cent fee on all sales of fresh Christmas trees by sellers of more than 500 trees per year (7 CFR 1214.52). And, of course, the Christmas tree sellers are free to pass along the 15-cent Federal fee to consumers who buy their Christmas trees.
4 comments:
Is there anything Obama and democrats don't want to tax?
Again, another tax imposed by Obama that won't effect his constituency of self-hating, non-practicing Jews, atheists, and Muslims. Wonder if Barry would be willing to pass a Kwanza tax too? Nah, that would be racially insensitive.
This is complete stupidity. As if paying more for a tree will encourage consumers to buy these trees! Although the amount is small, this is how it starts. They will continue to raise it in future years and pass to the consumers. I think I am loving artificial trees. Perfect branches, 1 time cost, and no additional taxes.
I am amazed at how people get themselves all in knot- about 15 cents ! keep the comments relevant to the tree and stop throwing in HATE! If you are not buying a real tree - then who cares!
GW
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