Social nets roundup: Even SPF 800 won't protect you from the feds' new tanning tax, started at sunrise

 

It sparked a blistering Twitter exchange between Snooki and John McCain, but now a federal tax on Americans who prefer to get their sun in the salon rather than on the sand is, like an endless summer, here to stay.

Some 28 million sun-bed enthusiasts on Thursday face a 10% tax on tanning goods and services, thanks to a measure slipped late into the $940-billion healthcare overhaul. 

From Arizona to the Jersey Shore,  many of the nation's more than 18,000 salons are warning of a drop-off in business as a result of a measure that’s projected to gain the federal government $2.7 billion over 10 years.

Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan got our attention with his tweet: “Take cover -- the $2.7 billion Obamacare 'tanning tax' goes into effect tomorrow! http://bit.ly/9Fc4oI “

While the Heritage Foundation warned:   “Tan while you can! Obama's tanning tax hits TOMORROW. And small businesses are getting burned. #tcot http://herit.ag/oIT"

And the RepublicanStudy adds for context:   @WMRepublicans First of $569,000,000,000 of taxes in Dems Health Bill in effect tom hurting small biz owners http://bit.ly/df29ng #hcr

Reality TV series "Jersey Shore" star Snooki earlier this month tweeted that she no longer uses tanning beds after "Obama put a 10% tax on tanning." You can read the whole Snooki-McCain exchange here.

Tanning salon customers will face increased rates per session that currently cost between $10 and $25 for a  typical 10-minute session that equals about a half-hour in natural sunlight (or perhaps three days’ grilling in front of the Senate). The tax does not apply to spray-tan services. Salons will have to pay more for each sun lamp and significantly reconfigure their tax filings.

And while we can sense the outrage from many concerned parties -- including that the tax disproportionally affects women, as most salon owners and customers are women -- we also can’t help but think it’s all a nanny-state plot to get sun-bed users out of the house and into the great outdoors. All while reaping future healthcare savings on treatment of skin cancer.  Could it also be a back-door climate change tax (cap-and-shade vs cap-and-trade)? 

Another bright idea for a better future? So bright, we’ve got to wear shades?

--- Craig Howie

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Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[John]

When I heard that there was going to be a tax on bed tanning, I made the decision to add spray tanning to my list of services. I purchased a great kit, The Rock Star, from EnvyTan. It was the best investment I have ever made. I did not expect there to be a big difference in the amount of customers coming into the salon, but boy was I wrong. I have doubled the amount of customers we serve in less than 3 months. If there is any other salon out there hesitant, as I was to add this service, you can not go wrong. The investment is small, and the rewards are big! Good Luck!

[Alex]

If people are going to take from public purse when it comes to skin cancer care (of course not all tan bed users get it, but when just ONE person does the health costs are enormous) then they should damn well pay for it. Smokers should buy lung cancer insurance too!