As if videogames were not getting more expensive already, how about an extra 1% sales tax added specifically to videogames? Well this is an idea that a Wisconsin state senator is proposing.
Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) is pondering the idea of allowing 17-year olds to be tried as juveniles instead of adults in the state of Wisconsin. The reason behind this is that he believes that prison does not handle the job of rehabilitating individuals of this age and that juvenile correction centers would be the better fit. This is where things get tricky and videogames gets thrown into the fray. Erpenbach believes that there needs to be extra funding for state juvenile centers if 17-year olds are no longer tried as adults. Because videogames tend to be the scapegoat these days, he suggests that an extra 1% be added videogames to help fund juvenile centers.
Now this is where it gets comical. Michael Gallagher of the ESA commented that this is unfair to equate all juvenile crimes with videogames as the “discriminatory tax” will create a bad aura around the videogame industry. Erpenbach came back to say that he agrees with Gallagher, but the only reason he is proposing the extra 1% tax on videogames is because he could not find a better source for the situation. Yes, Erpenbach is really highlighting his political tidiness with this one. On the other hand, Wendy Henderson of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families supports this idea as she believes videogames makes wasted use of teenager’s time.
Yes, politics is a wonderful thing.