NY ruling says stripping not an art, thus not tax exempt
Chris Spags If you’ve been to a strip club recently, you’ll know that there’s definitely a certain art to what strippers do. You think it’s easy to grind a man into submission when he looks like a real-life version of Mario minus mushroom powers or heroism? But a NY tax appeals court ruled that stripping is not an art. Boo.
An Albany tax appeals board was considering giving sales tax-exempt status to the local “Nite Moves” strip club under the postulate that stripping and, in particular pole-dancing, is an art.
A lower court judge, presumably after several persuasive arguments from local exotic dance talents, ruled that strippers were taking part in “dramatic or musical arts” and, as a result, qualified for tax-free status.
But the tax appeal board overruled the judge said that the performances couldn’t be considered in the same bracket as “things such as ballet performance.” Presumably because men aren’t bored to tears to by strip club performances.
There are more parallels with strippers and ballerinas than these tax appeal board folks would be willing to admit. Most of the girls are Russian and probably here illegally. They’re very flexible. They wear garish clothes. If more men came to ballet performances with opened shirts and cheap cologne, I don’t think you’d be able to tell the difference.
Stripping Not Art, Does Not Qualify For Tax-Free Status [MyFoxDC]
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