6 ms·

A lot of bookstores and restaurants do more good than harm, and we tax them.

• AnthonyMouse 3y ago
  Bookstores and restaurants are profit-seeking entities. If they were nonprofits then we wouldn't tax them.
  • jazzyjackson 3y ago
    pity there's no tax exemption for nonprophets
  • ProllyInfamous 3y ago
    >profit-seeking entities As a child, this was how I always felt when the Catholic Collection Plate would circulate among the congregation. >[doing good for community] I also think that all hospitals should pay taxes — until there is some sort of single-payer universal healthcare institution.
    • AnthonyMouse 3y ago
      > As a child, this was how I always felt when the Catholic Collection Plate would circulate among the congregation. Profit in this context means filthy lucre that the business owners have every right to spend on strippers and cigarettes and private islands. Churches are more restricted in what they can do with it and moreover tend to lose their patronage if that's what they're spending the money on, as opposed to private businesses whose patrons give money in exchange for books or food and don't really care if the owners are using the profits to play blackjack in Vegas. > I also think that all hospitals should pay taxes — until there is some sort of single-payer universal healthcare institution. What does that have to do with anything? Business operating expenses are generally deductible and their "income taxes" are effectively taxes on profit. A non-profit doesn't have any owners to receive profits, so they either operate with with a neutral budget or put any net income into an endowment that allows them to survive if future years are leaner or provide more services or charge lower prices. Taxing them would only cause them to have lower quality or higher prices or go bankrupt more often.