The AP takes note of the proposed 7.5% plastic surgery tax that came along with HB3.
“This may bring in more money than oil,” joked Wick Allison, publisher and editor of D Magazine, which covers the Dallas fashion and party scene.
Almost 40 percent of U.S. plastic surgeons practice in California, New York, Florida and Texas — a state where fashion and beauty is just as competitive as football and big business.
Nearly 140 of Texas’ 324 board-certified plastic surgeons work in Dallas and Houston, according to perfectyourself.com, a national Web directory. When Dallas leaders searched for a city slogan last year, tongue-in-cheek suggestions included “Plastic Surgery Capital of the South” and “Flat Land and Women that Aren’t.”
Well, they skipped the stripper tax this time around, so I suppose this was the next closest thing.
Just as a reminder, this tax was implemented as an alternative to taxing diapers. Greg notes which family-friendly lawmakers preferred to tax new parents instead. I’m thinking that vote may show up in a campaign ad or two next year.
This kind of tax by a thousand cuts hacks me off. I wish they’d adopt a general sales tax instead and quit tinkering with encouraging/discouraging economic choices by taxing one thing and not another. If they need more money, raise the sales tax. Sure, it’ll through low wage labor out of work, raise inflation for all of us, and slow the growth rate, but at least it’ll be fair.