Strip Club Tax of $10 a Head Being Considered by California Legislature

By Dennis Romero Tue., May 15 2012 at 9:08 AM

Categories: WTF

Lina Lecaro

Gov. Jerry Brown says there are $8 billion worth of cuts coming to state programs this summer, and that's not even enough to fill the $16 billion sinkhole California faces July 1.

One enterprising legislator has a wild idea, though: Tax strip club patrons $10 each time they enter an exotic dancing establishment. Damn. Talk about your cover charge.

Assemblyman Das Williams of Oxnard plans to tax you like a gangster taxes drug dealers:

AB 2441, which is moving through the state Assembly as we speak, would levy a $10 fee on each and everyone of you good gentlemen (and the freaky dates who love them) who enter a "sexually oriented business."

The bill defines such a business as ...

... a nightclub, bar, restaurant, or similar commercial enterprise that does both of the following: (1) Provides for an audience of two or more individuals live nude entertainment or live nude performances. (2) Authorizes on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages, regardless of whether the consumption of alcoholic beverages is under a license or permit issued under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.

Damn.

Once a hot dancer gets all freaky on your lap the state of California is going to reach in your pocket?

Williams' office states that the cash is needed to ...

... help fund sexual assault awareness, prevention and treatment services, forensic exam rape-kits and programs that support victims of sexual exploitation through human trafficking.

Not exactly a budget savior. He adds:

There is a clear and urgent need for funding for effective delivery of services and care for women who have been sexually assaulted.

Roger Jon Diamond, an attorney representing SoCal strip clubs, laughed off the bill when we called him last night, saying it wouldn't be approved and that, if it did, it wouldn't pass muster with the courts.

You can't, he argued, tax a business based on content. Wouldn't be constitutional.

Amen.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

adult business, Assembly, California, Das Williams, Roger Jon Diamond, sex, strip club, tax

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eddieVroom

It's been a few years since I left L.A., but I don't recall a single strip joint that met the second criteria of allowing alcohol consumption on site.

Patti

It would be more valuable if you were able to express an interest in supporting the organizations that help folks -children, women and men who are sexually assaulted with a little more heart and mind then joke about an admission tax on strip clubs. How about saying Amen to healing and rape prevention instead of being against a tax that can do some good!

Taxesatwork

How about instead of a tax per person, try requiring actually treating the strippers as employees and paying them at least minimum wage and tax that along with the normal Social Security, FICA, etc that we all pay

Rich_mich2001

Would this mean a $10 tax to everyone going to a Lady Gaga concert?

TheJoyceVoice

Texas high court said it was cool. Utah too. Other states are looking into it. I don't go to strip clubs in California anyway, why would I with such a grand porn industry right here!?

I digress...

I don't think it is such a bad thing, there is clearly a need for funding and although it not a fun argument to have, there is a link between sexual violence and the objectification of women in our purist values-based society.

This one hits close to home, but no cigar! Oh! (with all Andrew Dice Clay-ness)

NewsDog

The legislature tried this in Texas about eight years ago and the clubs have had it tied up in court ever since. Looks like the state won the latest battle but the war isn't over yet. The state has yet to see dollar one collected and has to spend a lot more in court costs. All in all not a good way to spend already depleted taxpayer monies.