Just couldn't wait on those tax hikes from the Super Committee. As he stated I will do everything I can do NOW. Just in time for the holiday season * Senator Aims to Repeal Christmas Tree ‘Tax’ The government has imposed a 15-cent fee on most fresh-cut Christmas trees while administration officials insisted that it is not a new tax, but a growers’…ABC News· 29 minutes ago * Ebenezer Obama? A 15-cent tax on Christmas trees Houston Chronicle * Scrooge Comes Early This Year With "Christmas Tree Tax" Yahoo Finance In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States” (7 CFR 1214.10). Sorry the links aren't working! A 15% tax on all fresh trees to market, plan and develop the market of American Christmas trees. This is my problem with any new taxes! Instead of applying this tax to our critical debt, it will go into a slush fund for more spending! Heck no to anymore new taxes!!!
From the question, is it safe to assume that the tax is OK with you if it's 'right sized'? If yes, what's the maximum and please...a rule of thumb for us less enlightened?
It was 15 cents....and it was actually a self-imposed tax by the Christmas tree industry to raise advertising money. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/ (my link works) It almost makes a credible political attack when you obfuscate the facts though.
"Tax" is the operative word....yet another one....coming from an adminstration that swore up and down there would be no tax hikes on folks making less than 250K per year. Not to mention, it is yet another unequally applied tax that doesn't affect those...Muslims, Jews, etc.... who don't include Christmas trees in their religious celebrations. Religious persecution lawsuit pending, I'm sure. Dupe thread, BTW....the 4th
I get it now. The National Christmas Tree Association is autonomous when originating a new tax. Every tree seller is no doubt a member, eh?
I'm not sure that's what it's called, but the group is probably ruled largely by corporation-sized tree growers. You're probably right that smaller independent tree farms aren't necessarily well represented.
Boy this rightwing meme is really making the rounds on the ********** blogosphere. Third duplicate thread just on this forum.
Obama Administration to Delay New 15-Cent Christmas Tree Tax The U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to delay implementation and revisit a proposed new 15 cent fee on fresh-cut Christmas trees, sources tell ABC News. The fee, requested by the National Christmas Tree Association in 2009, was first announced in the Federal Registry yesterday and has generated criticism of President Obama from conservative media outlets. The well-trafficked Drudge Report is leading with the story, linking to a blog by David Addington, a former top aide to then-Vice President David Addington, at the conservative Heritage Foundation assailing the president thus: The economy is barely growing and nine percent of the American people have no jobs. Is a new tax on Christmas trees the best President Obama can do? And, by the way, the American Christmas tree has a great image that doesnt need any help from the government. The National Christmas Tree Association says the fee would fund a program designed to benefit the industry and will be funded by the growers and is not expected to have any impact on the final price consumers pay for their Christmas tree. According to the Federal Registry, the proposed Christmas Tree Promotion Board, which would be funded by the new fee, would launch a program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industrys position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry and to enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States. White House spokesman Matt Lehrich told ABC News that despite some media coverage, I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama Administration is not taxing Christmas trees. Whats being talked about here is an industry group deciding to impose fees on itself to fund a promotional campaign, similar to how the dairy producers have created the Got Milk? campaign. Nonetheless, the criticisms have apparently had an impact as the program is now being delayed. Bah, humbug? -Jake Tapper http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politic...tion-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/blowback-for-obama-on-christmas-tree-tax/ Paid for by (likely) Canadian tree imports and huge tree farm sales in the U.S......to launch a campaign to promote buying fresh X-mas trees. Nice try............
It is a FEDERAL TAX To pay for the new Federal Christmas tree image improvement and marketing program, the Department of Agriculture imposed a 15-cent fee on all sales of fresh Christmas trees by sellers of more than 500 trees per year (7 CFR 1214.52). And, of course, the Christmas tree sellers are free to pass along the 15-cent Federal fee to consumers who buy their Christmas trees. Acting Administrator Shipman had the temerity to say the 15-cent mandatory Christmas tree fee is not a tax nor does it yield revenue for the Federal government (76 CFR 69102). The Federal government mandates that the Christmas tree sellers pay the 15-cents per tree, whether they want to or not. The Federal government directs that the revenue generated by the 15-cent fee goes to the Board appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the Christmas tree program established by the Secretary of Agriculture. Mr. President, thats a new 15-cent tax to pay for a Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.
Stick it to 'em and buy a local tree from your local Mom and Pop tree nursery. Only imported trees and huge tree farming outfits will charge more for this advertising money. Buy American...Buy local....and you have nothing to worry about. Your 15 cents will be safe.
Notice the time stamp. Rush mentioned this tax this morning and the Obama administration walked it back shortly after.
Something stinks in Denmark. Why does the CTPB require government to levy "fees" (taxes) to fund their efforts to promote themselves? Why doesn't this organization get together with membership and simply jack up tree prices a little...enough to cover their own PR campaign? Smells like another backdoor way to erect more government bureaucracy and government jobs.
It's guaranteed. Ag will collect the tax and administer the program. Big Fed can be counted on to pee away the typical 50% of every venture they screw with.
From the question, is it safe to assume that the tax is OK with you if it's 'right sized'? If yes, what's the maximum and please...a rule of thumb for us less enlightened? Still looking for something here.
There was no link in the OP. AL Granny's Original Post cited 15 cents in one place and 15 percent in another, so I asked which it was because of the contradiction. I don't want to pay more for my X-Mas tree than last year which is why I plan to by a tree from a family run farm just outside of town. I have a choice. Where I always buy my tree is exempt from this tax or ad-revenue raiser. I don't feel sorry for people who pay $0.15 more because they buy from tree factories or imported trees.
Once a tax, always a tax. This is always the way of taxes. What should irate everyone is that the tax again would go towards another stupid cause instead of the critical economy. This again is the way of Democrats, they will tax and spend, then call for more taxes once the money runs out. Why should American think that Government can be trusted with any new taxes until when the waste so much of every dime they get! I do believe that they halted this new Christmas tree tax because of outcry from the public, but they couldn't help themselves from trying!
