Houston's Strip Clubs Hit by New 'Pole Tax'
freqvisitor
The City Council passed an ordinance Wednesday that requires strip clubs to pay a $5-per-visitor fee to help pay for the analysis of biological evidence collected from rape victims in hopes of identifying their attackers.
Supporters of the ordinance, which was supported by Mayor Annise Parker and approved on a 14-1 vote, contend that strip clubs should shoulder some of the costs of rape investigations because the establishments can cultivate unhealthy attitudes toward women that can lead to sexual assaults.
The fee would also apply to clubs that stage occasional adult entertainment, such as "a wet T-shirt contest or naked sushi contest," according to the ordinance, which states all the revenue is to go toward processing rape kits.
In Texas, a state law passed in 2007 already imposes a $5-per-customer charge, dubbed the "pole tax," on strip clubs around the state. Houston clubs now face a double fee.
Council member Jack Christie said the strip clubs will survive. "When you look at videos of these clubs and see women putting $5, $10 and $20 dollar bills in their remaining clothing, I don't think a $5 tax will hurt anybody," he said.
Supporters of the ordinance, which was supported by Mayor Annise Parker and approved on a 14-1 vote, contend that strip clubs should shoulder some of the costs of rape investigations because the establishments can cultivate unhealthy attitudes toward women that can lead to sexual assaults.
The fee would also apply to clubs that stage occasional adult entertainment, such as "a wet T-shirt contest or naked sushi contest," according to the ordinance, which states all the revenue is to go toward processing rape kits.
In Texas, a state law passed in 2007 already imposes a $5-per-customer charge, dubbed the "pole tax," on strip clubs around the state. Houston clubs now face a double fee.
Council member Jack Christie said the strip clubs will survive. "When you look at videos of these clubs and see women putting $5, $10 and $20 dollar bills in their remaining clothing, I don't think a $5 tax will hurt anybody," he said.
Comments
last commentPlease – many will argue the opposite – than SCs provide an outlet for “supposedly†over sexed individuals whom might feel the “uncontrollable†need to rape a woman.
And the POLs know that!
What? It's not the money. Five bucks pales in comparison to what I typically spend. It's this BS attitude that I most strongly object to.
Yeah – especially in these economic times.
They also don't care. It's about power, not safety or helping abused women or anything else. It's about exercising power, and keeping other people controlled.
Maybe when someone stops worrying about the source of income and just legalizes gambling casinos and just about everything else to generate revenue, the economy will start booming again and the government won't need to worry about what new tax to impose on the people. For all states using strip clubs for income, I propose they open up brothels (legalize it) and charge a $20 tax for every time they go all the way. If States are going to get into the adult business, they might as well go all the way in.