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Wisconsin senator rallies for videogame specific taxes photo

Pardon me, Mr. Erpenbach, Sir? I hate to tell you this, but there's no better way to quickly deploy angry kids to your house with stolen guns that suggesting that videogames get their own tax on top of normal taxes. The logic just doesn't compute here: Wisconsin State Senator Jon Erpenbach wants to have a special one-percent sales tax for video games and consoles. The surcharge would be in addition to Wisconsin’s current five-percent sales tax.

Somehow, this whole thing is tied to Erpenbach's desire to make sure that juveniles are treated as such by the courts when they commit non-violent crimes, and he has suggested a rehabilition program for them instead. The connection is that the program would be funded by this additional tax on games and consoles, as reported by the Wisconsin Radio Network.

Not shockingly, the proposal is already drawing criticism. Steve Nass, a state representative, has questioned the connection between video games and juvenile crime and why a tax increase would be necessary. Thanks there Steve, you saved us the trouble, but not the indignation over the concept. Erpenback says he is open to other funding options, so this is likely to get shot down regardless. 

[Via GamePolitics - Thanks Justin] 


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18 comments | showing # 1 to 18

Cheeburga's Avatar
Cheeburga at 12/21/2007 12:54
You are shitting me?
These arrgogant bastards need moar money?
Fuck him. Games are already expensive as it is.
Rockvillian's Avatar
Rockvillian at 12/21/2007 12:54
Why can't these lawmakers just sit down and play a game with an open mind, THEN make a stupid decision?
Cheeburga's Avatar
Cheeburga at 12/21/2007 12:57
Nothing can work out that easy Rock.
It's bullshit.
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 12/21/2007 13:09
Did I read this correctly? A 1% tax on video games in order to help fund taking care of juveniles convicted of non-violent crimes?

How the heck do you draw such a correlation? It would be just as appropriate to tax certain foods, drinks, and toys in general with that sort of concept.

Hey, why not tax/fine the parents of those juveniles instead when they're shown not to have any psychological issues? Why does it have to be everyone's problem that some people can't actually raise their children?
BS3 Owner's Avatar
BS3 Owner at 12/21/2007 13:11
I feel bad for my former fellow wisconsinians...

They goverment wants to put a tax on soda too...


They're railing against the common people. By taxing them to get them to shy away from purchasing the products. That they deem unsavory to them! It's a real pitty that our own officials forget freedom of speech!

I can see taxing cigarettes because they truly are distasteful & cause cancer. But I also think that USA is waking up to the fact. Of what China's doing to. Addiction says China to Video Games = Excuse to make a populous cable of enlisting, into their Army. By enlisting addicted people into boot camps!

While American Lawmakers forget... We need to stop spending money in IRAQ, and start spending @ home on uhhh, Police forces!
Trevor McGee's Avatar
Trevor McGee at 12/21/2007 13:33
Shit, I live in Jersey, we've already a 7% sale tax. If they tried to put an extra tax on video games, I'd be tempted to remove someone's head. We've got to pay an arm and leg to live in this state and it's the shit hole of America according to just about everyone who's moved around.
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 12/21/2007 13:39
@TrevorMcGee: It's because of all the people who drive through the shit hole of America every day :p
Kyousuke Nanbu's Avatar
Kyousuke Nanbu at 12/21/2007 14:53
I pay 14% tax on all my stuff, this includes games.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 12/21/2007 15:16
What a laymer
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/21/2007 16:16
But I need that additional $0.60 for ammunition to carry out my violent GTA-inspired rampages!
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 12/21/2007 18:15
My initial reaction: LOL WUT

My later reaction: LOL KAY.
pwned88's Avatar
pwned88 at 12/21/2007 18:22
jesus christ i envy you bastards, complaining on how you'd jump to 6%, try 14% on for size, but that was after the ever so amazing 1% tax cut! tank you so much for helping me save that extra one cent on every dollar! go ontario! fuckers.
Fading Star's Avatar
Fading Star at 12/21/2007 21:59
Sorry Senator. Not today.
DOOM's Avatar
DOOM at 12/21/2007 22:02
tell that cheese eating mofo to stfu!
DryvBy's Avatar
DryvBy at 12/21/2007 22:49
Lets top it off by bringing up another fake trent in politics: global warming. Much like this tax, politicians and global monkeys are wanted to charge a new "GW" tax on anything they deem harmful to mother earth. Ghey world we live in.
outrage's Avatar
outrage at 12/22/2007 08:05
Wow, I live in Wisconsin and didnt even know... FUCK HIM!
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 12/22/2007 12:33
Those people complaining about paying 14% in taxes should realize that we don't have universal health care and similar items here.

As far as a GW tax, no f'ing way. All a tax for that would be doing is funding the military some more rather than actually being used to force businesses to develop environmentally friendly solutions or to fun processes to curb pollution and other harmful environmental effects.
Wylie's Avatar
Wylie at 12/24/2007 00:35
Personally I'd love to hear the logic he came up with for this.

"You see taxes made smokers quit buying cigarettes therefore a video game tax will stop children from-"

I got nothin'
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