Wisconsin senator rallies for videogame specific taxes

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]