Taxing Indoor Tanning

It's time this Insanity Stops!

In an eleventh hour vote, the U.S. Senate passed the Health Care Reform Bill which included a 10 percent tax on the money brought in for indoor tanning.

I would like it to go on record, that I am adamantly opposed to the Indoor Tanning Tax, and these are just a few of my reasons.

1. I don't need the U.S. Senate, or anybody else for that matter, telling me what is good for me.

I like to think that my parents raised me to be reasonably intelligent, and in most cases, I really do know what is good for me. You know, when they made it a law to wear seatbelts, I was already wearing one, and so were my children. It was proved to me that the wearing of seatbelts; as long as they included the shoulder harness, did indeed save lives. Consequently, everyone who rides in my car has always worn their seatbelt, or they didn't ride in my car. All that has to be done is, give me the accurate information, and I really can make up my own mind. I also have no qualms about writing my Senator and telling him how I want him to vote.

2. The timing of this bill's passage seems wrong.

I felt as if I were not adequately informed of the passing of this bill, before it was passed. How many people were more concerned about the holidays, their families getting together, and the happy anticipation of their children to know just what the Senate was doing. I felt that they were trying to get it passed on the sly, before the American public was fully aware of what was going on.

3. I did not even have a chance to tell my Senator how I felt about the passing of a tan tax.

Let's face it. Did anyone know about the last minute switch from the five percent Bo-tax, to the ten percent tax on indoor tanning? Why the secrecy?

4. It will drive small business to close.

As the former owner of a gym that had one tanning bed, I can honestly tell you that, if we still owned that business, we have to close the tanning part of the business if we had to pay ten percent of every dollar brought in for tanning. Though it did help our business somewhat to have the tan bed, we certainly didn't bring in that much money. What has to be considered is, the rent, the astronomical power bills, and wages if there are employees.

5. We have to plan on 'what ifs,' and I haven't seen any of those.

I have read just about everything I could read about this tax, and I have not seen any "If small businesses are forced to close, then where will the money come from?" Or who will pay for the health insurance of those poor people forced out of business?

6. Leaving politics aside, not one republican voted for the tan tax.

Why is this? According to an online article on www.lookatvietnam.com-U.S. Senate passes landmark health care bill, 58 democrats and two independents voted yes on this bill. All the republicans were unanimous in voting no. I am naturally skeptical of any bill, or vote in which an entire party votes against it.

I am not against all people having health care coverage, but we can't provide this at the expense of another's livelihood. It is not right. To me it makes more sense to tax all Senators and Representatives. They don't have to worry about losing their jobs, and they can certainly afford it.

Sources:

www.azcentral.com-Tax on indoor tanning has salon owners worried.

www.cosmopolitan.com-Indoor Tan Tax-Practice Safe Sun