New Tax Hits Tanning Salons
Caitlyn Kocsis lies in a tanning bed at Sunnyside Up Tanning in Southern Pines, where she works. Hannah Sharpe
- Print print this page
- Discuss 39 comments, Blog about
Advertisement
Local tanning salons may offer the convenience of bronze skin year-round, but their customers now have to pay more for that coveted sun-kissed glow.
On July 1, a user tax went into effect for all tanning salons as a part of the national health-care reform bill that was passed and signed into law last March.
The tax imposes a 10 percent service charge on customers who use tanning services with artificial light sources, such as beds, lamps and booths. Spray-tan services and tanning lotions are not affected by the tax.
Local tanning salon owners haven't felt much of a burn since the tax went into effect, but they anticipate more soreness from customers over the charge in the coming months.
Brandi Underwood, owner of Sunnyside Up Tanning in Southern Pines, was angry when she first heard about the tax, but since it went into effect, she is trying to prepare for its potential repercussions. She says she believes that the tax burdens small businesses owned mostly by women and targets a large demographic of middle class people with fixed incomes.
"I feel like it's unfair for small businesses and the targeted customers," she said. "Ten percent is pretty steep. It could have been 3 to 5 percent."
The tax is not the only factor that could contribute to slower business. Warm weather, growing health concerns and an economy emerging from recession have kept some patrons out of tanning beds.
"I do feel like it came at a tough time with the recession," Underwood said.
Jim Bivens, owner of Island Tanning & Beach Shop in Olmstead Village, says that so far the tax has mostly added more paperwork to his job.
He doesn't expect the tax to make a significant impact on his salon until next spring, when business generally picks up in preparation for summer.
"I believe it will happen when we run specials on larger packages and when [customers] start seeing the impact of how much tax is added to it," Bivens says.
Complaints have already started to come in with customers, though.
"Customers are absolutely furious with it," he says. "It's basically a tax on whatever business [politicians] can find to pick on."
Health Effects Debated
Bivens says lawmakers targeted the tanning industry because it lacks the lobbying power of businesses offering other cosmetic services, such as Botox injections and plastic surgery.
Lawmakers ultimately dropped an elective procedure tax, which would have included a tax on Botox and breast implants, from the final version of the health care bill.
"It's basically letting some politician decide what's good and bad for you," Bivens says.
Potential health benefits or risks of tanning have been subject to debate for years.
Proponents of tanning say UVA rays help boost the production of vitamin D in the body and can potentially lower the risk of certain diseases, including some forms of cancer. Others say that UVA and UVB lights are an effective treatment for eczema.
Tanning opponents warn that exposure to UVA and UVB rays dramatically increases the risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Last summer, the World Health Organization (WHO) added ultraviolet radiation emitted in tanning beds to its list of the most dangerous forms of cancer-causing radiation. The list also includes radiation emitted by the sun.
The addition came after a study conducted by the WHO found that people younger than 35 using tanning beds have a 75 percent increased risk of developing melanoma than people who have never tried it.
The organization also recommended a ban on using tanning beds and sun lamps for people under 18 based on the study's results.
'That's a Lot'
Underwood says her business probably will not start to feel the effect of the tax until September, when beach season is over and customers come in hoping to maintain their beach tans.
Like Bivens, she has also heard comments from her customers about the increased cost of her service.
"They say, 'Oh, we didn't realize it was that much,'" she says. "Over time, a customer is going to look at that and say, 'Wait a minute. That's a lot.'"
The tax increases the cost of Underwood's one-month package of unlimited tanning from $39.95 to $43.95.
Underwood is optimistic about staying in business despite the tax.
"We have a lot of loyal customers," Underwood says. "They just may watch how much they tan from now on."
Terry Campbell, of Southern Pines, is one of those loyal customers Underwood depends on. Over the past year, Campbell has been tanning one to three times a week at Sunnyside Up Tanning.
Campbell says tanning gives her a break from caring for a large family of eight children.
"This is a time that I enjoy," she says, grabbing a bottle of tanning lotion before heading to a booth. "It's 15 minutes of quiet time and peace."
At the moment, Campbell isn't too concerned about paying more. Last December, she bought a yearlong tanning package for $250 offered as a one-time Christmas special by the salon.
"Through December, I'm good," she said. "Maybe that's why I'm not bothered by it yet."
That same package would cost $275 with the new tax.
Campbell said her future ability to tan depends on the amount of income coming in for her family. She noted that people who are self-employed, like her husband, are especially vulnerable in the recovering economy.
"I have to go by what's going on with the economy," she said.
'Tan Regardless'
Underwood has put up signs saying that the tax is additional next to her package rates in order to show customers that her rates have not gone up.
Despite health reports and the new tax, Underwood maintains that tanning beds are less harmful than exposure to the sun's radiation.
"It's controlled," she says. "People can go lay out in the sun all day at the beach."
Underwood and Bivens both offer Mystic Spray Tan services, which are not included in the tax, in addition to tanning beds at their salons. The service offers customers a temporary spray-on tan without any exposure to UV rays.
Underwood has noticed an increase in spray tan services this summer, though she doesn't think the fact that the service isn't taxed has contributed to a higher interest. She says some customers cite health concerns as a reason for choosing the alternative to tanning.
Bivens says more of his customers choose spray-on tans for the convenience.
"It's quick and easy," he said. "There are few people with health concerns."
Bivens believes his customers will still tan despite the tax.
"I think they're going to tan regardless," he said. "It's just like anything else they put taxes on. If someone wants it, they're going to buy it. They're going to put taxes on cheeseburgers next."
Contact Hannah Sharpe by e-mail at hannah@thepilot.com.
More like this story
Advertisement
Comments
coffecreme 1 year, 7 months ago
If someone is going to pay 25.00 to tan what is 2.50 more. Tanning booths do contribute to skin cancer. 10% more is not going to prohibit too many people from continuing to char their skin.
RmeMP 1 year, 7 months ago
good thing that no one making under $250,000.00 per year tans at a salon, because then it would be just another lie from Oblunder - but wait a minute, who are the majority of customers at these small businesses? MIDDLE CLASS MAKING UNDER $250,000.00!!!
"i will NOT raise taxes of ANY KIND on anyone making under $250,000.00 per year" sounds alot like "i did NOT have sexual relations with that woman"!
ROFL!!!
tarheelz 1 year, 7 months ago
Oh- and don't forget other presidential lies, like "We have found the weapons of mass destruction" or "Read my lips- no new taxes". It's politics- and politicians lie. But a tanning bed tax? Who really cares??
eflat7 1 year, 7 months ago
If they are imposing taxes because it's a health, risk then that opens the door to other "unhealthy" non-necessities being taxed.
Seems weird they picked tanning.
theonewithsense 1 year, 7 months ago
We need to tax fat people. Fat people have higher health care costs. If we can't directly tax fat people maybe we should tax McDonalds. McDonalds is evil and fat people like McDonalds. The problem with taxing McDonalds (more) is that skinny people eat there too. Skinny people have lower health care costs so they should pay less tax.
We tax to impose morality. Certain populations deserve money. Non-tanning bed people deserve to have money transferred from tanning bed people. It is an excellent way to move money from one group of bad people to the other group of good people.
OldSpook 1 year, 7 months ago
Theonewithsense, You may actually be on to something here. If we tax the food(s) that people choose that make them fat we could (1) raise money off all of the McTacoHuts (2) help offset the evil fat people’s health costs. (Of course the Pik-N-Pig is exempt from this tax) And yes, even though skinny people eat at McTacoHuts our Government needs to watch out for them too. So by taxing their meals those evil skinny people may not have the money to spend on what we decide is not good for them. Now I'm not suggesting an Orwellian society with Big Brother monitoring all of your actions. I believe the government (Dept of Health, Education and Welfare perhaps?) would actually be more of a kind Nanny watching out for her wards and what we know is best for them. We’re sure you wouldn’t mind giving up a little bit of money and some personal freedom since the Department actually knows what is best for you. Now, you just go and have a nice day because if you don’t, we know where you live.
teufelhunden 1 year, 7 months ago
I know a lot of skinny people-and I mean skinny-who smoke like freight trains. They replace food with ciggys.
eflat7 1 year, 7 months ago
Let's see.
Tanners Fat people Smokers
Don't forget about people who drive cars instead of riding bikes, they should be taxed too for releasing all those carcinogens.
Oh yeah video gamers also. That's very unhealthy.
theonewithsense 1 year, 7 months ago
I'm just glad we are finding ways to raise taxes so we can get a better distribution of wealth.
JAP 1 year, 7 months ago
eflat7, People who drive cars are taxed. Here in NC, we have one of the highest gasoline taxes in the nation. At $2.50 per gallon, a gallon of gasoline would be under $2.00 without the federal and state taxes added to it.
OldSpook 1 year, 7 months ago
eflat7, I see you are not in keeping with the program. Perhaps some of these taxes could go towards the Departments "Re-Education" centers. These Re-Education centers would be to help persons who don't understand that the Department knows what is best for them.
RmeMP 1 year, 7 months ago
OK, so my main problem with this goes beyond barry - it is actually the fact that the government is deciding what an individual should and should not be able to do, because the government doesn't think we can make educated choices by ourselves; they are going to keep raising taxes on certain things, until black market's start popping up (ps-they already have in regards to items such as cigarettes).
i can't believe some of you people who think we should tax fast food establishments more, simply because you don't think people should eat there so much - who are you to decide? children shouldn't decide what's for lunch/dinnery, PARENT'S SHOULD. stop relying on the government to do your job as a parent!
you say it's a "moral" issue, and medical issue, correct? based on who's morals - yours? if you don't want to eat there, then don't eat there! but shame on you for trying to push your views on everyone else... what's the difference between what you are saying, then telling someone that their religion is wrong? do you forget what makes this country so awesome? FREEDOM!!! freedom to CHOOSE what you do in your life; if this country would stop spreading such a "cradle to grave" attitude, and teach a little more personal responcibility, we wouldn't be in this mess.
also, one more point before i stop my ranting (lol), how can any "carolinian" talk down about tobacco - unless you are ignorant and don't realize that one single product is the only reason this state has existed this long. if you don't want to smoke, drink, drive a big car, eat at mcdonalds, go to church, own a gun, etc.... then don't - but please stop with the "holier than thou" attitude, and relying on the government to tell you what to do, and where you should do it.
teufelhunden 1 year, 7 months ago
Those old sci-fi movies aren't that far from today's reality are they? Wait until they want to implant computer chips in all of us...that is when I will exit stage left...c-ya!!!!
teufelhunden 1 year, 7 months ago
We were all sort of joking about big brother...(?)
Way2Hot4You 1 year, 7 months ago
theonewithsense...Are fat who don't tan considered bad or good? or in between?
teufelhunden 1 year, 7 months ago
Hey you guys! Did you guys not catch all of that sarcasm??? Nevermind.
teufelhunden 1 year, 7 months ago
LOL - Chuck that sounds pretty good right about now...you forgot your large DIET coke!!!
teufelhunden 1 year, 7 months ago
Way2Hot4You-don't they say tan fat is better than white fat?? IDK Just don't use that orangey Oompa Loompa goop. LOL
theonewithsense 1 year, 7 months ago
I never want to see a fat person in a tanning bed. I would say fat people are worse, just because I don't know how many tanning bed people end up with cancer.
The one plus about fat people is, that although their health care cost is high, they don't live nearly as long. So maybe ultimately skinny people cost more, I don't know. I rely on our wonderful government to tell me what's right and what's wrong. I trust that if I don't want to save money for when I am old that they will find someone else to pay for my well being.
leftfield 1 year, 7 months ago
RmeMP wrote ""also, one more point before i stop my ranting (lol), how can any "carolinian" talk down about tobacco - unless you are ignorant and don't realize that one single product is the only reason this state has existed this long.""
That was the stupidest thing I have read since I joined this board. So many reasons why, not enough time to write them all...
runorbike 1 year, 7 months ago
Now you know that tanned fat looks better than white fat, come on now! :)
dogboy 1 year, 7 months ago
...Hmm, could this be considered a discriminatory tax, as only white folks use tanning salons?
leftfield 1 year, 7 months ago
ChuckTaylor wrote "We are slowly losing our rights.
Smokers chose to smoke.
Tanners chose to tan.
Fat people chose to be fat.
Just because someone else thinks it's not right doesn't make it wrong.""
Second stupidest thing i've read. Chuck, most of your post are laugh out loud funny, but this one is beyond stupid. Sorry, but you need to do some research on the facts of unhealthy lifestyles and how they affect us all..
teufelhunden 1 year, 7 months ago
dogboy...you've made a good argument.
peterprints 1 year, 7 months ago
"Only white people use tanning salons..." I grew up in the very racist city of Boston during the 50's and, believe me, anyone not from Northern Europe and the Scandanavian countries wasn't white. Portugese, Italian and most immigrants from the Mediterranian area were routinely labled with the "N" word immediately after their ethnicity. For Dogboy to believe that only white people use tanning salons is a staggering show of ignorance and, perhaps, a little bigotism.
As for charging taxes on fat people or smokers so the thin people who don't smoke don't have to pay for their healthcare, I'm all for that. And since I've never had children, can I get a rebate on all those school taxes(mostly based on the value of my property) that I have paid over the past 50 years? Hello? Are you still out there? I didn't think so because skinny people who don't smoke always seem to have lots of kids who need people like me to offset the cost of their little brats' education. Hey, I just made a stupid generalization like Dogboy did.
RmeMP 1 year, 7 months ago
@chuck-
man, dont even try with "leftfield" - he's another one who doesn't believe that we should be able to take care of ourselves without big brother''s help.
RmeMP 1 year, 7 months ago
@chuck-
man, dont even try with "leftfield" - he's another one who doesn't believe that we should be able to take care of ourselves without big brother''s help.
debsalomon 1 year, 6 months ago
If tanning beds are judged by medical professionals to be potentially health-threatening why don't municipalities ban them, like they ban smoking from public buildings? Remember Prohibition and trickle-down blue laws? Certain cities have legislated against serving foods containing trans fats, I believe. Some counties/cities ban the sale of fireworks to the general public. If the tanning salons are forced out of convenient city locations fewer people would choose to endanger their health by patronizing them. Of course the government would not benefit from the tax windfall but the greater good would be served. I can understand that a blush or slight, controlled tan from being outside can be attractive but a year-round caramel color really isn't pretty. And now you can get bottled tans anyway. debster
Ross 1 year, 6 months ago
RmeMP - I wonder - do you also "look" like Rush Limbaugh?
RmeMP 1 year, 6 months ago
@ross-
i'll extend the same invitation to you as i did dusty; i will be at o'donnells tonight from around 9pm until last call, why don't you come along holding hands with dusty, if you'd like, and meet me - that way you can see what i look like - since you seem so interested. how about it?
Ross 1 year, 6 months ago
RmeMP - I wonder why you think I would ever want to meet you. Reading your posts provide enough amusement to last weeks.
btw - I think you and dusty would make a great couple!
dogboy 1 year, 6 months ago
..so peterprints, Italians are not white? My 3 kids will be surprised to hear this.
bs_master 1 year, 6 months ago
maybe we should tax people that write on online blogs that complain about paying taxes and supporting Iraqi Bomba?
g33kchic 1 year, 6 months ago
A 10% tax is not really going to stop me from getting a tan in an electric coffin if I really want one. "I was going to get a tan when it was $5 a session...but now that it's $5.50, forget about it!"
peterprints 1 year, 6 months ago
Dogboy,
Please, reread what I wrote. I did not say that I didn't think Italians should be classified as white. I said that, while growing up in the city of Boston during the 1950s when it was extremely racist, Italians and people from other Mediterranian areas were not considered white by a majority of the bigots who lived there. I considered that then and now a bigoted, sweeping generalization much like the sweeping generalization you made when you wrote, "...only white people use tanning beds".
theonewithsense 1 year, 6 months ago
I would have thought only white people used tanning beds too........who knew?????
bs_master 1 year, 6 months ago
you now must fill out a form when filing your nc state tax return. you must add the numbers of days you layed out in your yard(at 1.33 cents per day) , using sunshine entering the state of NC, then add a 10% tax to that. this you would put on line 666 of your state tax return. what a great idea!!!!huh? I hope no politicians read this at the capital they may try to pass it as their bill.
ohreally 1 year, 6 months ago
I don't see what the big deal is. They are finding ways to increase income. If they don't find new things to tax, they will increase current taxes to cover budget short comings. Either way, we are screwed. Income tax, gas tax, sales tax, property tax, personal property tax, taxes on utilities, satellite, phone, blah, blah, blah. Just imagine how it will be 20 years from now with our 10 trillion dollar debt!
theonewithsense 1 year, 6 months ago
ohreally, when you have financial problems, do you find ways to increase income or do you find ways to reduce expenses? Obama said he would only increase taxes on those that made over $250,000 a year. He was lying. He knew he was lying. Anybody with half a brain knew he was lying. The amount of the tax will probably barely cover the cost of the new legislation. Government will have to grow in order to monitor the new tax. It's the nature of the beast.
ohreally 1 year, 6 months ago
Hold everything there senseable one. I didn't say it was o.k. or good. I base future projections on past performance when it comes to government. My point is, they are going to increase tax somewhere. I don't care what Obama said in his campaign. ALL politicians are full of it on their campaign trail and will tell you what you want to hear to get elected. Fortunately, I did not get sucked in to the Obama craze and believe what he was saying. I think a lot of them have good ideas but, when they get into office reality hits them.