I know the country is bad off right now financially but really, a Christmas Tree tax? Well yes and no. It was proposed by those folks in Washington D.C. that earn a lot more money than me, but looks like WE win, this time anyway. The tax was so ridiculed and criticized when revealed Tuesday that they decided to drop it Wednesday.

The 15 cent tax was announced Tuesday in the Federal Register. It was meant to pay for a new board that would over see promotion of the Christmas tree industry. Now is it just me or don't Christmas trees kind of promote themselves? That question was actually answered. The board which was created over the last year was implemented because live Christmas trees are losing revenue to artificial trees. So the real problem here is that more and more people are buying artificial, reusable, hypoallergenic trees. That would be me! Sorry.

The Christmas tree growers were actually backing this tax because it would give them money for said promotion and marketing.  As of Wednesday things had completely changed though.

White House spokesman Matt Lehrich told Fox News on Wednesday afternoon that the administration is putting a stop to the proposal.

"I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama administration is not taxing Christmas trees. What's being talked about here is an industry group deciding to impose fees on itself to fund a promotional campaign, similar to how the dairy producers have created the 'Got Milk?' campaign," he said. "That said, USDA is going to delay implementation and revisit this action."

http://www.foxnews.com

 

The tax would have actually been put on importers and producers of trees that import or sell more than 500 trees a year. However, that trickle down effect would have stopped with us, the buyers.

The board is taking its que from previous boards for other industries such as milk, poultry, beef and eggs. These industries all have similar campaign and marketing plans that the Christmas tree industry is wanting to follow.

So it seems that "Grinch" has been avoided this year but next year and thereafter maybe a another story.

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