CONTACT: JOHN KARTCH
202-785-0266; JKARTCH@ATR.ORG
The first of Obamacare’s 21 tax hikes takes effect today – a new ten percent federal excise tax on indoor tanning
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Starting today, the 452,500 Wisconsinites who visit tanning salons will be getting an unwelcome lesson in Obamacare as a new 10 percent federal excise tax on indoor tanning takes effect.
Both Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl voted for Obamacare, which contains 21 tax hikes, several of which violate President Barack Obama’s “firm pledge” not to raise “any form of taxes” on families making less than $250,000.
Small business owners across the country have already been feeling the financial and paperwork burdens caused by the tax, with some shutting their doors and others laying off employees. Industry estimates from the Indoor Tanning Association show that well over half of tanning salon owners are women. The 724 tanning facilities in Wisconsin are estimated to employ 2,642 people.
Feingold and Kohl might try to pretend that they didn’t want to support specific taxes in Obamacare, but this argument holds no water: When given an explicit opportunity to strip all tax hikes from the bill that would hit Americans making less than $250,000, they both refused. This vote occurred on March 24.
“Senators Feingold and Khol have some explaining to do,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Americans for Tax Reform has issued an “Obama Tax Hike Exemption Card”, a wallet-sized parody card which “exempts” those making less than $250,000 from paying any form of tax increase signed into law by President Obama. If challenged upon presentation of the card, the cardholder may politely ask: “Excuse me, but are you calling President Obama a liar?”
Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org.
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