Nose-job tax (WSJ)
To raise revenues, several states have introduced bills for "vanity taxes" or "Botaxes." So far New Jersey is the only state to have passed, last summer, a cosmetic surgery tax. A 6% tax is levied on such procedures as facelifts, hair transplants, and liposuction. Medically necessary or reconstructive procedures are exempt. In 2004 Americans spent $8.4 billion on cosmetic surgery. There is a growing trend to tax other aesthetic services such as tattoos, tanning session, and massages. Wall Street Journal, 6-1-05, p. D1. (WSJ is available in the Library)
posted by claire at 12:09 PM
5 Comments:
I hope this tax trend only applies to procedures done by licensed professionals. Hair removal doesn't require a license as far as I know. This new tax probably would apply for electrolysis and laser hair removal and maybe Brazilian waxing based on what I understand.
I actually think this is a great idea: tax those who are willing to spend money on vanity operation.
Although (obviously) some people are going to be resistant towards it, people do in fact waste so much money on nose-jobs and other procedures that they should be taxed anyways. What's another couple dollars going to do for you if you really want to get rid of that belly fat by tummy tuck? ;)
In times where every penny is being sqeezed out of us just for the basic necessities of living, a tax on opted services (such as cosmetic surgery) would certainly help to subsidize taxation to alleviate any additional strain on the taxpayer.
Two questions, though, which I would ask with regard to services taxes are:
1) What kind of self-imposed regulation, or otherwise, would exist to prevent additional taxes being levied against any particular service to the point of taxing it out of business?
2) Would there be exemptions available when cosmetic surgery is considered a necessary procedure (such as a child with a facial deformity), but also regulations in place which would prevent (ideally) someone from taking advantage of the exemption (such as someone claiming the new nose job is necessary for social interaction at work, even though anybody else does not see a problem)?
Always, when something like this comes up in discussion, it may seem like a simple answer, but someone always has an objection, and those with objections often have the better lobbying.
Every single invention, will bring us greater comfort, but the authority will seek new way to increase the tax. It may come to day when we has enough of taxes and we may need newer type of goverment for the new technology age.
I actually agree with taxing on cosmetic surgery, but it seems like the government only come up with more things to make us pay taxes. When is this gonna end? The states should be more open to the expenditure and the reason why they need more money.
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