LOL - Here's your laugh for the day

[winbig]

This is just too much......

As part of a massive just unveiled state budget, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) is proposing to require anyone who buys, sells, transports, or possesses "all marijuana and controlled substances" to have a "tax stamp" for the illegal substance. Spitzer's provision proposes a $3.50 per gram tax on marijuana, but a whopping $200 per gram tax for cocaine.


Under the proposal, the tax would be paid in advance of purchase by the "dealer," who would buy stamps from the state Department of Taxation and Finance, which he must then affix to the packages of drugs to show the tax has been paid. In the foreseeable event that dealers do not rush down to the tax office to pay up, the bill requires state police agencies and prosecutors to report any dealers who haven't paid their drug taxes to the department, unless reporting them would jeopardize a pending criminal investigation.

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So it's ok to not only USE, but to SELL drugs? As long as you pay your )(!@#*$@ taxes on it? WTF?

And this fucking (yes I said it) idiot was actually voted into office? What a joke.

I can hear their meetings clearly: "Hell, if we can't beat them, we'll just grab a piece of the pie.". IMO this is no different than organized crime.


Anyone up for starting a commune in the UK or some other country that isn't as retarded as the USA (at least their leaders)?

 

[SlotsWizard]

This seriously sounds like a joke - or a gimmick to see who will actually show up to purchase the "stamps" so that they can be arrested.

What is this country coming to?

EDIT: This is unbelievable! -

The bill contains a unique and strict secrecy requirement, preserving the confidentiality of any information obtained from a dealer under Article 17-A. Disclosure of this information is generally prohibited, although it may be disclosed for purposes of a criminal or civil proceeding involving taxes under Article 17-A. However, the bill specifically provides that none of the information may be used against the dealer in any criminal proceeding (other than a tax crime) unless it has been obtained independently.

It really does sound legitimate, i.e., the state will keep the dealer's information secret as long as he pays the taxes. I was just watching Gangland the other night on the History channel, and this is what they referred to as "gang tax". Holy crap!

 

[winbig]

What gets me is the fact that they're going to allow the taxation of drugs, but yet gambling online is illegal?

 

[SlotsWizard]

What gets me is the fact that they're going to allow the taxations of drugs, but yet gambling online is illegal?

No kidding - apparently cocaine is the lesser of two evils?

 

[Matthew23]

That's just crazy! It must be a joke or a setup

 

[NASHVEGAS]

That's just crazy! It must be a joke or a setup

NOT A JOKE PER SE:


Tennessee’s Tax on Illegal Drugs Nets $3.5 Million

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By BRENDA GOODMAN
Published: January 4, 2007
ATLANTA, Jan. 3 — Tennessee has collected nearly $3.5 million since it began enforcing its tax on illegal drugs two years ago, officials from the Department of Revenue said Wednesday.

The state’s Unauthorized Substances Tax, passed by the Legislature in 2004, requires anyone in possession of an illegal drug to buy and affix stamps to the drugs’ packaging.

Under the law, information provided to the Department of Revenue to buy stamps cannot be used in criminal prosecutions. There is a toll-free number for stamp application requests, and stamps are doled out based on type of drug and weight.

As is the case in some two dozen other states with similar laws, however, the stamps have become curiosities bought by collectors and lobbyists who campaigned for the bill.

Of the 726 stamps sold so far, none have turned up on seized drugs, said Loren Chumley, commissioner of revenue for the State of Tennessee.

While many think that the idea is inspired, others object to it.

“It’s almost like the law wasn’t written to be construed seriously,” said Gregory P. Isaacs, a lawyer in Knoxville. “It’s like asking for someone to get a special permit before they drive drunk.”

The real money the law generates comes from penalties assessed on people caught with unstamped drugs. Fines may equal up to 10 times the amount of the tax, and are vigorously collected, Mr. Isaacs said.

Because the taxes can be collected based on a preponderance of evidence, rather than a determination of guilt, defense lawyers are challenging the law, saying it violates the guarantee against double jeopardy and the right to due process.

In one case in July, an appellate court ruled that the law was unconstitutional. That decision is being appealed to the Tennessee Supreme Court.

 

[suzecat]

Coming soon to a government near you: The Moron Tax! For those stupid enough to buy drug stamps!

 

[lojo]

In the same breath the guv wanted to increase taxes on 'malt liquor and cheap cigars' No, not 5th ave. champagne, not fine cigars.

 

[NASHVEGAS]

Coming soon to a government near you: The Moron Tax! For those stupid enough to buy drug stamps!

Stop taxing me

 

[lots0]

The tax stamp has been around as long as the USA has wanted to outlaw drugs and machine guns.

The tax stamp was first used to outlaw machine guns in the USA... The government required a tax stamp for an individual to own a machine gun, but they never sold the tax stamp to the public... Effectively baning machine guns from US citizens.

When Marijuana was first outlawed, the federal government required a tax stamp for the possession and sales of Marijuana.... But again the government never issued or sold a singe tax stamp.

According to norml.org over 1/2 the states still have Marijuana tax stamp laws on the books... But again none of these states issues or sells the tax stamp to the public.

BTW - New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is more than a moron he is a dangerous moron... This is the same guy that a few months ago wanted to issue NY state drivers licenses to illegal aliens.

 

[NASHVEGAS]

The tax stamp has been around as long as the USA has wanted to outlaw drugs and machine guns.

The tax stamp was first used to outlaw machine guns in the USA... The government required a tax stamp for an individual to own a machine gun, but they never sold the tax stamp to the public... Effectively baning machine guns from US citizens.

When Marijuana was first outlawed, the federal government required a tax stamp for the possession and sales of Marijuana.... But again the government never issued or sold a singe tax stamp.

According to norml.org over 1/2 the states still have Marijuana tax stamp laws on the books... But again none of these states issues or sells the tax stamp to the public.

BTW - New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is more than a moron he is a dangerous moron... This is the same guy that a few months ago wanted to issue NY state drivers licenses to illegal aliens.

Iirc, isn't there also a tax stamp for illegal bookmaking aka bookies????

 

[lots0]

...isn't there also a tax stamp for illegal bookmaking aka bookies????

Not in the US, at least that I could find.

I know the UK does tax Bookies, but I am unsure if they use a tax stamp or not.