Posted on 06/11/2014 7:47:54 AM PDT by grundle
Betsy Poos tries to keep politics out of the classroom at Capitol Hill Yoga.
The co-owner of the Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast studio spent a decade working for members of Congress and the Democratic Party before opening, in March 2009, the small business that sits six blocks from the Capitol. When teaching, her classroom philosophy is: “This is the time to let your day job go.”
But a tax change working its way through the D.C. Council has recently caused Poos to “measure the line” on her credos. The city is looking at implementing a 5.75 percent sales tax on gyms, yoga studios and other health club services as part of its fiscal 2015 budget, part of an effort to revise its tax structure and reduce the overall burden on D.C. residents. Poos and other wellness practitioners are worried the proposal will hurt their industry.
“This feels like a tax on healthy lifestyles,” Poos said Monday in an interview with CQ Roll Call, explaining recent efforts to mobilize yogis to push back on the proposal. Although she doesn’t believe the price increase — an extra 69 cents on a $12 class that lasts an hour, or $1.04 more for the 75- to 90-minute classes that currently cost $18 — would keep most of her current customers away from their mats, Poos is concerned the modest increase could deter the new students that are a key part of the studio’s revenues.
“In the past five months, 25 percent of our sales revenue have come from consumers brand new to our studio — first-time walk-ins,” Poos said. If “even 10 percent” are dissuaded from spending their first dollar at the business due to the tax on services and higher prices, “we stand to lose much of our overall profit margin.”
(Excerpt) Read more at 3.blogs.rollcall.com ...
Ten years of advocating bigger government and more nanny state meddling. Now you have it and you're not happy? Pooor wittle thing! Now eat your peas.
I luv the Chocolate City lashing out at the Whitey moving in by taxing Stuff White People Like (SWPL). These Stalinists vs. Trotyskites battles are always fun.
Higher taxes are good!
< / Democrat Policy >
DC is one of the few places in the country where liberals outnumber conservatives.
By a lot. The avg. Pubbie in a city wide race usually gets 3% of the vote.
Embrace the suck.
Sorry lady it is all about fairness. Why should someone else pay taxes and not you? It for the children anyhow so pay up.......
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