Taxing Video Games and Equipment?
MADISON, Wis. — Electronics might be the hot item on all gift lists this holiday, but it’s also on the list of some lawmakers.
A proposed bill in Wisconsin would add an extra sales tax to electronics.
The bill’s author, state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, said the money raised from the tax isn’t to dissuade gamers, but to help cover the cost to move 17-year-olds, who commit non-violent crimes, back into the juvenile system. Currently, 17-year-olds are treated as adults, WISC-TV reported.
“No. 1, I think it’s the right thing to do because not all 17-year-olds belong in the adult system when it comes to non-violent offenses,” said Erpenbach. “But secondly, in the long run, the numbers show that if you treat certain situations in a juvenile delinquent-type of a setting, as opposed to an adult setting, chances are there’s going to be less of a problem when the kid gets older.”
But the part of the bill getting the most attention is the video game tax.
Erpenbach said at this point, he’s not sure how much it would cost to move non-violent 17-year-olds to the juvenile system.
The cost could be substantial considering state records show that of the approximately 30,000 17-year-olds arrested each year, 98 percent are charged with minor offenses.
Lawmakers are also not sure how much the tax would generate.
Source: Channel 3000
Filed under: Dumbass, Gaming, Internet, Other, Software, Technology, Television, Toys, Video
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