SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers could vote this spring to impose a “pole tax†— a tax on stripper poles, that is.
Under legislation pending in the Illinois Senate, operators of adult entertainment facilities would pay a $5 fee to the state for each person who enters their establishments, with the proceeds going to fund rape crisis centers and other sexual assault assistance organizations.
State Sen. Toi Hutchinson said it didn't take long for a lobbyist representing strip club owners to contact her after she filed the proposal.
“I knew it was going to be provocative,†the Olympia Fields Democrat said.
Hutchinson said she has nothing against strip clubs and topless bars but thinks they should contribute to the cause of helping abused women.
“If you're going to sell sex and alcohol, then bad things sometimes happen,†Hutchinson said. “I'm hopeful they'll work with me to take some of the stink off their name.â€
Alfred Ronan, who lobbies on behalf of the Illinois Club Owners Association, said the group opposes the legislation.
“What do the clubs have to do with abused women?†Ronan said. “I don't want to make light of it, but we just don't get the connection.â€
Illinois is not the first state to look at exotic dance outlets as a source of revenue.
A law similar to the Illinois legislation was upheld by the Texas Supreme Court last year. Officials there say the new tax could bring in as much as $44 million.
Several cities also have discussed imposing a pole tax, including Minneapolis and Phoenix.
It also isn't the first time Illinois has considered taxing adult-related products. In 1997, former House Speaker Lee Daniels, R-Elmhurst, floated the prospect of a special tax on pornographic magazines to raise money for schools. The measure went nowhere.
Ronan said club owners will work with Hutchinson to see if a compromise is possible. But he said it likely would force some smaller establishments out of business if it went into effect.
“It really is about protecting women,†Hutchinson said.
Another tax...