DC Mayor Vincent Gray Proposes 'Popcorn Tax' At Movie Theaters To Raise Funds

[The Straight Story]

DC Mayor Vincent Gray Proposes 'Popcorn Tax' At Movie Theaters To Raise Funds

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- DC Mayor Vincent Gray is proposing a five percent tax on food people buy at the movie theater.

In a news release, Mayor Gray said 75 percent of the revenue collected would help build a movie theater East of the Anacostia River. The other 25 percent would pay for incentives to entice production companies to film movies within city limits.

A large bag of popcorn at Uptown Theater in NW costs $7.75. With a five percent tax, the popcorn would cost an extra $.39.

Maryland already charges a six percent sales tax for food, and in Virginia, there's a five percent tax.

New York and LA both charge more than eight percent, but LA only taxes popcorn and soda, not candy or water.

http://wusa9.com/news/article/172493/77/DC-Mayor-Vincent-Gray-Proposes-Popcorn-Tax-At-Movie-Theaters-To-Raise-Funds

[FSogol]

1. How about a tax on all the corruption coming out of Mayor Gray's office?

If they backdated it to the last election, there would be no limit to the amount of funds pouring in.

[Recursion]

5. Yeah, start with a tax on offering jobs to third-tier candidates to get them to bash your rivals

This is exactly the kind of crap a lot of us who held our nose and voted for Fenty were worried about.

[Scuba]

2. He's in DC. Why not tax politician's lies? He could raise billions. n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Big fail.

Every time prices on movie snacks go up, attendance goes down. When attendance goes down enough theaters close because they don't make their money on the movies - they are sustained by their concession sales. As theater operators say, 'Movies were invented as a venue for selling popcorn'.

And those who still go to the theater will buy less concessions anyway. People are endlessly inventive about smuggling food in - I've found buckets of KFC and whole Chinese take-out meals while cleaning up theaters, and that's in the summer when nobody's wearing coats under which they can sneak them in.

[justiceischeap]

4. I'd guess they use shopping bags to sneak things in.

I always sneak a Pepsi in 'cause most places sell Coke.

[Recursion]

6. There's a tax on those, too

Though that's actually been one of the more effective taxes the city has ever levied.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. I really don't know how they do it.

Back when I still had a 2nd job (before MY theater closed down) I'd have door duty and KNOW that no backpacks, shopping bags, anything like that came it - but when called to the theaters for clean up, there would be box meals, sixpacks of beer, and all kinds of things. One the strangest finds was a pair of pants, with belt, so obviously worn into the theater. But I'd swear no half-nekkid guy walked out.

Movie theaters are strange and mystical places.

[JVS]

9. Coats, sweaters, and big purses.

[JVS]

8. I love the drive in. The seats are better, I can bring in snacks easily, including beer and whiskey

I can talk or use my phone, nobody kicks my seat. It's the best.