Tax Law

Divided Court Rules 4-3 That Lap Dances Are Not “Artistic”

The ruling by New York's highest court means that the revenues derived from said dances are taxable, because they are not entitled to the exemption in state law for "dramatic or musical arts performances." The majority appears to have compared…



Please Report Me If I Am Missing. Thank You.

Via Popehat, here's a notice that is required to appear on all vending machines in Florida under a law that took effect in 2010: As you can see, the notice tells the reader that the notice the reader is reading…


New Jersey Governor Vetoes “Snooki Subsidy”

Citing budget concerns and the harm he says the show does to New Jersey's image, on Monday Governor Chris Christie vetoed an extension of the $420,000 tax credit that Jersey Shore has been getting from the state. The credit has apparently…


Expert Lap-Dance Testimony Fails to Persuade Court

Rejecting expert-witness testimony on the subject of lap dances, a court in New York has held that a strip club is liable for $125,000 in unpaid sales taxes. The expert failed to convince the court that a lap dance qualifies…



Renewed Witch-Regulation Bill Passes in Romania

Last September I reported that a bill intended to get Romanian witches to pay their fair share of taxes had failed to pass, because (according to its sponsor) too many legislators were afraid they would be cursed if they voted…


Witch-Regulation Bill Fails to Pass in Romania

Romanian lawmaker Alin Popoviciu is blaming fear for the failure of a bill he sponsored that would have imposed new regulations and taxes on witches and fortune tellers.  He claimed that the legislation had failed because lawmakers were afraid they…



Joe Francis Pleads Guilty, Avoids Jail in Tax Case

"I'm happy to finally be able to redirect my attention to the business at hand, which is to provide quality entertainment," said Joe Francis after his guilty plea was accepted on September 23.  "Quality" is not really the first adjective…