Some Florida Democrats hope to wipe up with revenue from their proposed toilet paper tax. State Senator Al Lawson proposed a 2 cent per roll tax on the necessary staple. The revenues will help pay for wastewater treatment and sewer upgrades for small towns. Essentially, it will be pumped back into the system. The tax could raise 30 million per year.
The bill is likely to tank in the Republican-dominated legislature. Bottom line, though, Florida needs more revenue to support its burgeoning growth. This pay-as-you-go tax might be the solution. The legislature has promised to review the bill – not just flush it. House Speaker Allan Bense doesn’t think it will hold much water and joked, “Sounds like a pretty crappy bill to me.”
Even Governor Jeb Bush has plunged into the debate. He seems concerned that this tax might cut down on usage and added, “That’s not necessarily a good thing.†Bush might have a point. After all, isn’t cleanliness supposed to be next to Godliness? What’s really at stake here?
For consumers, the tax could be a pain in the . . . well, you know where. Toilet paper is the single most purchased item in grocery stores. One could argue it’s a sexist tax. Women usually use more toilet paper than men – a good deal more. It won’t all come out even in the end.