Basnight proposes sin tax hike

Introduction: Tax and Budget Reform
Make Tax Systems More Progressive
Promote Fair Income and Estate Taxes
Reform Property Taxes
Broaden Base of Sales Tax To Include Services
Make Corporations Pay Their Fair Share
Better Enforcement of Tax Law
Stop Rightwing Tax Campaigns
Fix Failed Tax and Development Subsidies
Review and Sunset Tax Expenditures
Disclose Economic Subsidies
Require Job Quality Standards and Other Reforms for Subsidy Recipients
Stop Tax Subsidy Bidding Wars
Reform Government Contracting and Restrict Privatization
Measure and Disclose the Costs of Public Contracts
Strengthen Contract Accountability
Enforce Wage Standards on Contractors
Restrict Asset Privatization
Stop Pay to Play on Government Contracting

please - gas tax aint that much shorter than beer tax. 1 letter to be exact. could've tried: Basnight "Hike beer, cigarette tax"

Again, too long for a headline. "Vice tax" might be an alternative, though.

— RTB

Excellent response PoliticalJunkie.

Well, just call them cigarette and beer taxes. That is very descriptive, easy to understand and doesn't make a moral judgement regarding the use of the products.

Maybe they will need to change the name of the ABC Commission. Ryan why don't you sponsor a contest to come up with a catchy sinful name? Aunt Betty's college will be a thing of the past.

No, I already answered it. "Sin tax" is a colloquial take on what are known as "sumptuary taxes" or just plain "excise taxes." Most readers have no idea what the latter two mean. We could call them "unhealthy habits taxes," I suppose, but that doesn't fit in a headline.

I understand your objection to the term and have noted it, but I'm going to continue to use it because it is readily understood.

— RTB

aw Ryan you danced around the question.

Now you're heading into theological disputes best handled by my colleague, Yonat Shimron.

I've heard tell that we're all sinners...

— RTB

Ryan if it is legal and controlled by the government does that make it a sin? Are employees of the ABC stores, ABC officials, etc, sinners?

I see your point, but "excise tax" is a bit too wonky for a general newspaper audience and "sin tax" is readily understood.

To a reporter, not using direct language is a sin...

— RTB

Why do you label smoking and drinking as sins?

Reading your heretical newspaper could be considered just as sinful. Perhaps what we need is a tax increase on you sinful reporting?

All seriousness, these are excise taxes just like the tax on gas. And should be called the same.