Stripping for the Uninsured

[somarco]

A five dollar surcharge is legal. If you want to see someone strip in Lubbock County or anywhere else in Texas, you'll have to pay for it.

That's the word from a judge in Austin. Tuesday, the judge denied a request from the owners of Nude Entertainment Clubs for a temporary injunction to block a five-dollar strip club fee.

The new fee is a customer surcharge which goes into effect January 1st. The 2007 legislature approved the fee which is expected to raise $44 million dollars for sexual assault prevention programs and health care for the uninsured.

 

[J.R.]

A five dollar surcharge is legal. If you want to see someone strip in Lubbock County or anywhere else in Texas, you'll have to pay for it.

That's the word from a judge in Austin. Tuesday, the judge denied a request from the owners of Nude Entertainment Clubs for a temporary injunction to block a five-dollar strip club fee.

The new fee is a customer surcharge which goes into effect January 1st. The 2007 legislature approved the fee which is expected to raise $44 million dollars for sexual assault prevention programs and health care for the uninsured.

Hmmmm...... $44M/$5/365 days = 24,109 attendees.

I'm in the wrong line of business.

 

[somarco]

24,109 attendees.

I'm in the wrong line of business.

Nothing stopping you from setting up a booth inside . . .

 

[Mr. Bill]

Yes, especially if the uninsured are visiting strip clubs!

 

[James]

Something just terrible wrong with this entire mindset.

 

[HomeService]

If.... we tax payers of Texas, we citizens, and I have been here for 18 years, could get an accurate accounting of this, and could see this money being put to good use, this may actually be a reasonable idea. Maybe. The problem is, they take our money in fees all the dang time, and it must go into somebody's pocket, because we never actually see it. We have no state income tax, so they "fee" us to death all the time.

The lottery. for instance, was supposed to help our schools, but we have bad problems in the schools, and the lottery money keeps going bye bye- and nobody can account for it.

Our hospitals are clogged with people with no coverage, from this country and others, who can go for free basically, but the citizens of Texas are asked to have healthcare coverage- somehow. Even if it means we need to put a toll booth at strip clubs. This whole system we have here: pretty messed up. Throwing another fee at people, only to watch it go bye bye, is kind of strange to me, but that's how the game works. Something tells me the feds are threatening to take away medicaid money because the feds are going broke, and telling the states they need to find innovative ways to cash-flow the great masses.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

This tax is wrong on the principal that there is a connection between strip clubs and sexual assault. While I have never been to a strip club (lol...) I can tell you that this is complete BS. This is a far right religious move to get rid of strip clubs - this fight has been going on since the cave women showed a little breast...

Texas is a unique state we have no state income tax, however our real estate tax is likely the highest in the nation. Mine is over 4% - on a $300k home it is over $1000 per month.

There IS personal property tax on ANYTHING a business owns, they come in and snoop around and take notes and add it to the value of your property - which by the way is taxed right at 100% of value (or higher).

There IS a state income tax on business unless you make virtually no money and the tax is on GROSS not NET - they are trying to fight this as it is BS and was designed to "offset" the real estate taxes, the offset was about 1/10th of one percent by some estimates.

That being said what is better in Texas?

-No state income tax is a big deal when you make big money...

-No local tax same thing...

-They issue concealed hand gun licenses to just about anyone

-Hardly any guns are illegal, since guns don't kill people, people kill people

-Unless you are in the inner city fireworks are legal around new years and the 4th of July - and we aren't talking sparklers, we are talking big TNT monsters some take two people to carry... They are federally tested and approved... Ohhh if you live within 50 miles of the border you can also buy fireworks around Cinco De Mayo - if you believe that one... Jeeze...

-Doing business in Texas is VERY easy, particularly outside the big city. Virtually no unions, little if any permits, easy stuff

-The weather is great except for 3 months out of the year it gets rather hot - but not Arizona dry hot... Depends where in Texas - but overall the weather is great.

-People are great, friendly - never had a problem

-Labor is DIRT cheap if you own a business... Houses are dirt cheap - you can still get a halfway well built 4000 sq/foot home for $300k, easily.

-Government is VERY pro business... Government is VERY easy to communicate and deal with - I have had lengthy conversations with my representatives, and they DO listen - I find the Texas government to be very receptive to it's citizens.

That all being said the government has NO place in socialized medicine for children, illegals, poor or otherwise this is completely wrong on all levels. Some minor provision - maybe, the level they are squeezing now - no way.

And don't think that $5 fee is to collect $5. It is to track and shut down strip clubs and eventually make it a $50 fee.

 

[J.R.]

The tax isn't going to deter people from visiting strip clubs. I love the caveman reference...very original...... Texas has the death penalty don't they...

 

[TXINSURANCE]

Here in Houston women need a PERMIT and ID CARD to show their bare breast without a sticker over the nipple.

What kind of society do we live in where women need background checks, enter into a database, and pay legal fees to show a nipple?

America has become a modified police state over the last 50 years, and sadly I fear it is getting worse. Europe and other nations would laugh at the requirements to show a nipple...

It's beyond stupid, and has social consequences as well. I believe it is related to how many sexual predators and sex crimes we have - because sex is very taboo and hidden...

But Brittany doesn't have to wear underwear... go figure... lol...