Pubdate: Thu, 05 Feb 2009 Source: Watertown Daily Times (NY) Copyright: 2009 Watertown Daily Times Contact: http://www.wdt.net Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/792 Author: Timothy G. Helmer MORE TAXING BEHAVIORS Recently, Gov. David Paterson proposed a "fat tax" as a way to collect extra money to try to pull the state budget out of a deficit. As a person who would call himself vertically and horizontally challenged, I would call this discriminatory. I've come up with a few ways to help him out. They are as follows: Raise the taxes on alcohol and tobacco products and excessive auto dealer, furniture company and prescription commercials. Legalize the usage of pot, not just for medical use. Legalize prostitution. Require the providers to be licensed and require thorough exams for any illness that may be hazardous to one's health. Excessive noise, such as when sitting at a stop light and can hear so-called music from cars behind you. Mandatory 10-year tax for anyone who has been nailed for alcohol or illegal drug use, doubled if offense was made in the presence of a child. Anyone who gets nailed with their stereo full blast or smoking while there are children in a moving vehicle. Too-thin-of-a-person tax. Excessive tattoos, body piercing, perfume, makeup, nails, etc. Grossly inappropriate clothing. Coffee/flavored coffee, lattes, etc. (regular and decaf exempt). Lottery/bingo tax. Amend the hand-held-to-the-ear while driving to include anybody with any type of media or food to their face. Leisure tax: golf, bowling, seniors shuffleboard, etc. Some may take offense to some of the ones mentioned, or come with their own. Timothy G. Helmer Theresa - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin