Christmas tree tax? Really?

Puddin99 · Nov 9, 2011

http://blog.heritage.org/2011/11/08/obama-couldnt-wait-his-new-christmas-tree-tax/

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.

Badger Johnson · Nov 9, 2011

And in doing so kill the small business owner's Christmas tree business. Nice job.

LV XD9 · Nov 9, 2011

Badger Johnson said:
And in doing so kill the small business owner's Christmas tree business. Nice job.

Do you honestly believe that a $.15 increase per tree is going to make or break a Christmas Tree business?

It's $.15. Three nickels.

Surely there's something more important to feel outraged over...

Griz · Nov 9, 2011

LV XD9 said:
Do you honestly believe that a $.15 increase per tree is going to make or break a Christmas Tree business?

It's $.15. Three nickels.

Surely there's something more important to feel outraged over...

I am outraged at the imposition of new taxes... and the apathy of my fellow citizens concerning such.

Baked on Grease · Nov 9, 2011

LV XD9 said:
Do you honestly believe that a $.15 increase per tree is going to make or break a Christmas Tree business?

It's $.15. Three nickels.

Surely there's something more important to feel outraged over...

I certainly hope you are joking. So the government can raise your taxes 15¢ at a time to not get a peep out of you? How many times will it take before they are taking 75% of your money?

We went to war for less than a 1% increase in taxes back in the day, they would not stand for it, and neither will I.

Sent using tapatalk

MilProGuy · Nov 9, 2011

Griz said:
I am outraged at the imposition of new taxes... and the apathy of my fellow citizens concerning such.

That makes two of us.

Herr Heckler Koch · Nov 9, 2011

Already reversed course. The ship of state is captained by an idiot.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politic...tion-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/

LV XD9 · Nov 9, 2011

Baked on Grease said:
I certainly hope you are joking. So the government can raise your taxes 15¢ at a time to not get a peep out of you?

It's fifteen cents extra for a Christmas Tree. That's all. If they'd just added fifteen cents to the price of the tree, no one would even know the difference. Again, we're talking about a fifteen cent tax on what amounts to a once-a-year-purchase (if that.)

Baked on Grease said:
How many times will it take before they are taking 75% of your money?

It's amazing how you can leap from a fifteen cent tax on Christmas Trees to the feds taking seventy-five percent of a person's income.

Baked on Grease said:
We went to war for less than a 1% increase in taxes back in the day, they would not stand for it, and neither will I.

By all means, go to "war" over this "issue." See how that works out for you.

Let's keep some perspective here, huh? Pick your battles, people. Not everything is a crisis. Again, we're talking about three nickels.

thebigsd · Nov 9, 2011

As noted, the fee has been delayed and is going to be revisited. Even Obama is not stupid enough to fight the overwhelming backlash on this one.

A tax is a tax, whether it is 15 cents or 15,000 dollars. We certainly don't need any new ones.

Badger Johnson · Nov 9, 2011

Margins are small for businesses like that and volume is low. So any tax can be too much for some people.

LV XD9 · Nov 9, 2011

Badger Johnson said:
Margins are small for businesses like that and volume is low. So any tax can be too much for some people.

The tax only applies to the businesses that sell more than 500 trees per year, so the really little guys won't be affected. For those that sell more than 500, they simply raise their prices by $.15 and viola - problem solved. It's highly unlikely that a person spending $30-$50 (or more) for a tree is going to quibble over (or even notice) an extra $.15.

Much ado about nothing. Again, pick your battles.

thebigsd · Nov 9, 2011

LV XD9 said:
The tax only applies to the businesses that sell more than 500 trees per year, so the really little guys won't be affected. For those that sell more than 500, they simply raise their prices by $.15 and viola - problem solved. It's highly unlikely that a person spending $30-$50 (or more) for a tree is going to quibble over (or even notice) an extra $.15.

Much ado about nothing. Again, pick your battles.

If the 15 cents is so insignificant then why have it in the first place?

LV XD9 · Nov 9, 2011

thebigsd said:
If the 15 cents is so insignificant then why have it in the first place?

I'm not advocating for the tax, I'm merely shrugging my shoulders and laughing at those who claim to be outraged over something so minor and insignificant.

Personally, I think it's a pointless and unnecessary tax. I also think there are far more important things to worry about right now than $.15. I think it's funny how easily they can distract some people from the real issues with something this ridiculous.

Herr Heckler Koch · Nov 9, 2011

LV XD9 said:
I'm not advocating for the tax, I'm merely shrugging my shoulders and laughing at those who claim to be outraged over something so minor and insignificant. Personally, I think it's a pointless and unnecessary tax. I also think there are far more important things to worry about right now than $.15. I think it's funny how easily they can distract some people from the real issues with something this ridiculous.

Some people - statists, progressives, liberals, democrats - have never met a tax that they didn't like. It is the patriotic duty of all Americans to avoid any and all taxes.

09jisaac · Nov 9, 2011

I thought they were going to get me for tax evasion for cutting my own christmas tree down this year.....

And if the CT industry wants to promote their image let them do it by themselves. Don't force another seller into something he/she don't want to be in.

(Badger, want to sell 499 or so trees for me?)

onestar 50 · Nov 9, 2011

Maybe everyone should buy artificial Christmas tree. And not pay the new tax on Christmas trees.

09jisaac · Nov 9, 2011

onestar 50 said:
Maybe everyone should buy artificial Christmas tree. And not pay the new tax on Christmas trees.

That'll fix it, show the gov they can influence us into something by taxing the alternative.....

But artificial trees are ugly.... and a pain to set up....

Jack House · Nov 10, 2011

I agree with LV XD9, it's 15¢. I do not agree with the tax, but I don't see how this is going to kill a small business. They can simply raise the price by a quarter and no one is going to care if anyone even notices. The tax should be bought, but let's try to leave the hyperbole out. If we claim "small businesses will suffer!" everytime something negative happens, even something so small, then it just diminishes that argument.

fire suppressor · Nov 10, 2011

Just one more year, just one more year, just more more year....

Venator · Nov 10, 2011

Around 27,000,000 trees sold last year, so the tax would be around $4,000,000 dollars for the agency. I would take half of that in cash...

http://www.christmastree.org/statistics_consumer.cfm

RETAIL MARKET VALUE - 2010

TREE TYPE	MEAN AVERAGE DOLLARS SPENT	NUMBER PURCHASED	RETAIL VALUE ($)
RealTrees	$36.12	27.0 million	$976 million
fake trees	$64.61	8.2 million	$530 million

Christmas tree tax? Really?

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