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MSNBC is angry over a new Florida tax
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:15 pm
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:15 pm
[quote]ALEX WITT: One restaurant chain in Florida is now asking its customers to help foot the bill for ObamaCare. Diners at Gator’s Dockside are discovering a 1 percent surcharge added to their bills when they ask for the check. Joining me now, Josh Thomas, reporter for NBC affiliate WFLA in Tampa. So Josh, okay, explain this. I’m looking right now, by the way, at a receipt, and I’m seeing on this $22 bill a 20 cents ACA surcharge.
JOSH THOMAS: Basically it’s a 1 percent surcharge that this restaurant, Gator’s Dockside, is going to charge its customers. We do need to note that it’s not all the Gator’s Docksides here in Florida, but a select number basically in central Florida and some of them up in Jacksonville. Basically they say that they have to charge this 1 percent surcharge fee to cover the cost of the Affordable Care Act – ObamaCare. They claim that they’re doing this because they feel that they have to stay afloat and they do not want that insurance cost to impact their business in a negative way.
WITT: Okay, so what has been the reaction to this surcharge?
THOMAS: Well, it depends on who you ask. We’ve talked to several customers outside the restaurant in Lakeland, Fla. Some of them say they understand why the business is charging this extra fee. Others say that it’s just part of the cost of doing business and they don’t understand why there’s a sign on the front of the door as well as basically something that they hand customers inside the restaurant notifying them of this 1 percent surcharge. Here’s what some of the customers we talked to had to say.
CUSTOMER #1: Business just needs to operate, earn a profit, and maintain their associates and employees. Unfortunately, the consumer’s going to be paying for it.
CUSTOMER #2: I don’t agree with it, just because, you know, those type of charges are already given to us from the government in the various laws and actions that we must follow. But at the same time, I’m hungry.
THOMAS: Now I should also note that we did do an internal poll here at WFLA-TV in Tampa, and we found out that roughly about 65 percent of the people who were polled say they do not support this additional fee, and some of them say they wouldn’t even support the business if, indeed, they continue to charge that fee.
WITT: You know, okay, so it’s one thing to not support them, but I’m curious, Josh: is it even legal to just add on a surcharge like that? I mean, it’s essentially a tax.
Read more: LINK ]
JOSH THOMAS: Basically it’s a 1 percent surcharge that this restaurant, Gator’s Dockside, is going to charge its customers. We do need to note that it’s not all the Gator’s Docksides here in Florida, but a select number basically in central Florida and some of them up in Jacksonville. Basically they say that they have to charge this 1 percent surcharge fee to cover the cost of the Affordable Care Act – ObamaCare. They claim that they’re doing this because they feel that they have to stay afloat and they do not want that insurance cost to impact their business in a negative way.
WITT: Okay, so what has been the reaction to this surcharge?
THOMAS: Well, it depends on who you ask. We’ve talked to several customers outside the restaurant in Lakeland, Fla. Some of them say they understand why the business is charging this extra fee. Others say that it’s just part of the cost of doing business and they don’t understand why there’s a sign on the front of the door as well as basically something that they hand customers inside the restaurant notifying them of this 1 percent surcharge. Here’s what some of the customers we talked to had to say.
CUSTOMER #1: Business just needs to operate, earn a profit, and maintain their associates and employees. Unfortunately, the consumer’s going to be paying for it.
CUSTOMER #2: I don’t agree with it, just because, you know, those type of charges are already given to us from the government in the various laws and actions that we must follow. But at the same time, I’m hungry.
THOMAS: Now I should also note that we did do an internal poll here at WFLA-TV in Tampa, and we found out that roughly about 65 percent of the people who were polled say they do not support this additional fee, and some of them say they wouldn’t even support the business if, indeed, they continue to charge that fee.
WITT: You know, okay, so it’s one thing to not support them, but I’m curious, Josh: is it even legal to just add on a surcharge like that? I mean, it’s essentially a tax.
Read more: LINK ]
9
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:31 pm to Dire Wolf
It will never happen, but I'd LOVE to see all the costs that government imposes on businesses itemized on invoices. People would wake up really quick to the damage government does to their purchasing power.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:35 pm to Dire Wolf
A private business speaking up. Good.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:37 pm to Dire Wolf
quote:I thought liberals liked higher taxes?
WITT: You know, okay, so it’s one thing to not support them, but I’m curious, Josh: is it even legal to just add on a surcharge like that? I mean, it’s essentially a tax.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:42 pm to Dire Wolf
isnt a place in Cali doing this too? so they are mad at the place in FL but not the place in CA
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:42 pm to stuntman
Put the amount of taxes at a gas pump along side the profit margin that the supplier gets for a gallon. The eyes that would pop out of their orbits would blind all of us.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:48 pm to Dire Wolf
Old news.
And as I said before, I have no problem with them doing it.
But if they want to be REALLY transparent they should break down the bill completely. 0.67% goes to cleaning supplies for cleaning ladies. 8.34% goes to Fire Insurance. 3.46 goes to fund the landscaping outside. 23% goes to fresh food not including fish, etc.
Otherwise they are just highlighting one business expense and making a politial statement about it.
And as I said before, I have no problem with them doing it.
But if they want to be REALLY transparent they should break down the bill completely. 0.67% goes to cleaning supplies for cleaning ladies. 8.34% goes to Fire Insurance. 3.46 goes to fund the landscaping outside. 23% goes to fresh food not including fish, etc.
Otherwise they are just highlighting one business expense and making a politial statement about it.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:52 pm to Eurocat
quote:The reason for it is political it was jammed in their arse.
Otherwise they are just highlighting one business expense and making a politial statement about it.
Cleaning service, well see I can negotiate with another provider. In this case no choice is fricking given, might as well let your customers know why the frick it went up.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:55 pm to Eurocat
quote:
Otherwise they are just highlighting one business expense and making a politial statement about it.
Which is their right, as it is also the right of someone to not use the services of said business if they disagree with their political statement.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 4:58 pm to jcole4lsu
quote:
isnt a place in Cali doing this too?
Yep, I saw it on the news a couple of weeks ago. Or last week? Anyways, the customers being interviewed about it were not bugged by it whatsoever.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 5:00 pm to Eurocat
quote:
Otherwise they are just highlighting one business expense and making a politial statement about it.
I disagree. The consumer knows that to operate a business you need to have expenses. What the consumer doesn't know are all of the hidden taxes. It would be interesting to see. Gasoline is a perfect example.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 5:14 pm to Eurocat
quote:i know the Florida story is but the reporters reaction is great
Old news
Posted on 3/5/14 at 5:25 pm to Dire Wolf
quote:Wow!
You know, okay, so it’s one thing to not support them, but I’m curious, Josh: is it even legal to just add on a surcharge like that? I mean, it’s essentially a tax.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 6:01 pm to Eurocat
quote:
Otherwise they are just highlighting one business expense and making a politial statement about it.
I don't have a problem with it but just don't see the point. There are really only two options when you get down to it.
1) People get annoyed at either having to pay 1% extra or having the "reason" shoved in their faces and eat somewhere else.
2) People note that it's just an extra 1% and just absorb the cost, kind of proving that the added cost is no big deal.
For a political statement, he's kind of put himself in a no win situation at that point, unless he was just hoping the publicity would get him a Chic-Fil-A style sales bump.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 8:01 pm to Walking the Earth
When did Florida pass this tax? I thought it was a Republican state.
Posted on 3/5/14 at 8:04 pm to matthew25
Home of the mega idiot Debbie Blabbermouth Schultz right?
Posted on 3/5/14 at 8:07 pm to Dire Wolf
By that reaction I think we are on to something 
Posted on 3/6/14 at 8:09 am to matthew25
quote:
When did Florida pass this tax? I thought it was a Republican state.
Not a tax. The restaurant is putting a surcharge on the bills to cover ACA that is being rammed down their throat.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 9:37 am to PsychTiger
Which is their right, as it is also the right of someone to not use the services of said business if they disagree with their political statement.
if I'm hungry and like the food I could care the frick less if they show a charge like this.
If a liberal owned restaurant wanted to add a war tax to a bill if they were getting taxed extra themselves forcefully by the it's, I'd have no issue with that.
This isn't a normal biz expense, it's a force fricked law that a biz has no opportunity to shop.
And bow the law is postponed!
Talk about a frickshow.
At least the customer can now realize, not only are they screwed paying extra for their own aca, but their dollar will not travel as far because they will also pay fir every business's aca price increase as well.
Dems are so damn stupid!
if I'm hungry and like the food I could care the frick less if they show a charge like this.
If a liberal owned restaurant wanted to add a war tax to a bill if they were getting taxed extra themselves forcefully by the it's, I'd have no issue with that.
This isn't a normal biz expense, it's a force fricked law that a biz has no opportunity to shop.
And bow the law is postponed!
Talk about a frickshow.
At least the customer can now realize, not only are they screwed paying extra for their own aca, but their dollar will not travel as far because they will also pay fir every business's aca price increase as well.
Dems are so damn stupid!
Posted on 3/6/14 at 9:52 am to CITWTT
quote:
Put the amount of taxes at a gas pump along side the profit margin that the supplier gets for a gallon. The eyes that would pop out of their orbits would blind all of us.
I haven't noticed it in years but this used to be pretty common in Georgia....I don't think anyone ever refused to do business with the stations. In fact the best I remember the signs were part of the Department of Agriculture sign that gave the date the pump was certified. Those signs may have only reflected the state tax though...I don't know.
I do know this...for many years the gas tax in Georgia was lower than it was in Alabama, Florida and South Carolina....it was very common for stations in south Georgia to advertise this fact so travelers would stop in Georgia and by gas instead of waiting until they crossed the state line. Then our brilliant GOP governor (not the current one, about 2 GOP governors or so ago...it is difficult to distinguish between them because they are all identical but for their names....decided to do away with the state gas tax in an effort to give consumers a break at the pump for a short period of time...about 90 days if memory serves....of course the predictable happened...prices dropped about a nickel a gallon and then went right back to the same price and, what do you know, when the tax was re-instated the prices reflected the previous price AND the taxes...making gas more expensive in the peach state. Prices have more or less stabilized since but prices are still cheaper in South Carolina and Florida...I don't know about Alabama because I try to avoid that entire region if possible....
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