PA House Rejects Tax on the Arts, Proposes Tax on Leafy Greens and Whole Grains Instead
I kid. But the budget proposal before the House does exclude the sin tax on arts events, museums, and zoos (should we call it the polar bear tax instead of a sin tax on the arts? Write me and let me know, or leave a comment). From the good folks at Citizens for the Arts in PA,
“Last night the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Rules Committee sent a tax code bill to the full House of Representatives that does NOT include a sales tax on admissions to performances, museums, and zoos. The bill does include some new revenue streams such as a tax on smokeless tobacco and a severance tax on natural gas. This bill is a change to the handshake agreement that was reached on September 18, 2009 between Governor Rendell and leaders of 3 of the 4 legislative caucuses.”
What does this mean? Probably that the budget will continue to be in a stalemate for the foreseeable future and that we can expect to see more revenue raising proposals coming out of Harrisburg that are more suited for a story in The Onion, than a meaningful state budget. Citizens for the Arts in PA has helpful resources to continue to advocate for the arts, and if you haven’t signed up for their e-mail alerts, I recommend it.
October 2, 2009 at 12:15 pm