Dakota Cody posted the article on gV. I twitched. Here's more on the story...
- Bonn, Germany
- Implementation of automated tax pay stations similar to parking meters
- Prostitution is legal in Germany
- Street prostitution in Bonn, Germany is fairly organized
- The city built special garage structures where customers can park and have sex with prostitutes
- Brothel, bordello and sauna prostitutes are taxed
- Taxing street prostitutes was argued as fair and equal treatment of prostitutes
- Street prostitutes who earn no money still have to pay the automated tax machines
- The city of Bonn pays to have a private security company police the "performance area" and provide security for sex workers.
- The city of Bonn, Germany was also looking for "relatively simple" ways to increase revenue to offset the city's millions in debt.
- Prostitutes in Dortmund, Germany pay a similar tax, but they make their "tax ticket" payments at gas stations.
- Advocates for sex workers say the tax is unfair because the prostitutes already pay income taxes. So they are taxed twice under the new system and it is not income-based.
- City officials say foreign-born street prostitutes who don't speak German struggle with the German income tax forms.
- Germany has a "sickness fund" for workers who make less than €46,300. Those who make more can utilize the sickness fund or opt out and get private insurance. Sickness funds are financed through a payroll tax.
Links:
http://gotvirtual.net/community/threads/bonn-germany-introduces-ermm-parking-meters.2510/
http://news.yahoo.com/german-city-introduces-parking-meter-prostitutes-184644020.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/world/europe/01germany.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/8731046/Bonn-prostitutes-to-use-parking-meters.html
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/30/sex-tax-street-prostitutes-in-bonn-must-now-pay-meter-for-a-nights-work/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14730704
http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2011/08/taxation
http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/04/24/health-care-around-the-world-germany/
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/23/world/paying-for-health-german-way-special-report-medical-care-germany-with-choices.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care#Germany
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_in_Germany
nschomer said...
ReplyDelete"Ahh, the first robo-pimps. Can they pay extra to have a flashing red light on top and a little Marvin Gaye coming out a speaker?"
http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2011/08/taxation
I didn't 'get' the one where street prostitutes "who earn no money" still have to pay the tax. If your're hooking and you ain't earning you are doing something very very wrong.
ReplyDelete“The other night I worked all night but didn’t get any work, but I still had to pay it,” said a young woman from Hungary who gave her name only as Monica and said she thought the new system “stinks.”
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/world/europe/01germany.html
Hey, I'm not saying it's true, I'm just posting the quote.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there are other restrictions. They have to conduct their business in specially-constructed garages of which there are only six.
ReplyDeleteSix in one area. More in another. Still, limitations. It's not totally a totally free-wheeling open market of street prostitution.
ReplyDelete"The city’s street prostitutes have already been limited to certain areas, following protests from local residents. Six designated, closed off parking spaces have been installed in one area near a brothel where customers can take prostitutes in their cars."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thelocal.de/society/20110830-37271.html
William Thirteen said...
ReplyDelete"Next time I am in Bonn i am going to purchase a ticket just for the thrill!"
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110830-37271.html
Sounds like a potential tourist attraction now. People may end up scrapbooking the damn things.
No Whore Taxes!
ReplyDeleteLOL
ReplyDeleteGood one.
No Whores in Texas!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Germany. I walked the streets for hours; paid my sin tax, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.
ReplyDelete/me is an expert on sintax . . .
ReplyDeletePep ( . . . althow speling is okashunly a problum.)