Nevada considers taxing brothels

Apr 08,2009 00:00 by UPI

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- A proposal to place a $5 tax on a prostitute's services will probably die in committee unless Nevada lawmakers take action this week, observers say.

The Nevada Senate Taxation Committee ended a hearing without voting on Senate Bill 369 to tax legal brothels, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

The panel took testimony from a variety of witnesses Tuesday.

"Can we be so proud as to refuse money that is offered from a legal business?" said state Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, the sponsor of the tax-the-brothels measure.

Coffin's bill would raise $2 million, far short of the $2.2 billion needed to solve the state's financial crisis.

Psychologist Melissa Farley testified imposing a tax on brothels amounts to "legislative pimping," the Las Vegas Sun reported.

Kenneth Green, owner of the Chicken Ranch, told the Sun he favors a flat tax paid by customers, not establishments. If such a tax is enacted, Green suggests it appear by a different name on credit card receipts.