Utah Sex Trade Tithe

Earlier this month, Utah house members approved a special 10 percent tax on nude dancing and escort services. House Bill 239 would generate an estimated $500,000 the first year and $1 million annually thereafter if imposed on certain sexually explicit businesses, according to legislative budget analysts. Most of the money would go for treatment programs for convicted sex offenders, with 15 percent reserved for the Attorney General's Office to investigate Internet child sex crimes.

Now, what is more surprising here: The fact that the state of Utah is making money of the sex trade or the fact that there's at least $10 million in sexually explicit business in Mormon-dominated Utah?

"We're not saying we want to shut these businesses down," sponsoring Rep. Duane Bourdeaux, D-Salt Lake City told Associated Press. "We're saying we want them to pay for" costs associated with treating sex offenders.

However, not all are so liberal about making money of the flesh trade.

"I think it's dirty money," said Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper.

"I do personally believe we're overstepping First Amendment rights," said Rep. Dave Ure, R-Kamas. "I think it will come back to haunt us and it will cost us some money."

Rep. Judy Buffmire, D-Millcreek, questioned why potential court battles were brought up in the sex-industry tax when the Republican majority didn't blink at constitutional concerns over legal expenses related to anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage bills.

Buffmire has it right. How exactly is taxing legal businesses overstepping First Amendment rights? Is a sex-industry tax any worse than tax on any other industry?

There is a certain hilarious irony though in making the strip clubs paying the equivalent of a tithe to treat and educate sex offenders though, I have to admit...