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Violent video games may join cigarettes and liquor as products that are subject to higher taxes in Texas.
According to the Amarillo Globe News, Republican gubernatorial candidate Star Locke is proposing new taxes on abortion providers, soft drinks, and violent video games. These taxes would take the place of Texas’ current property taxes.
Locke is suggesting a 10% levy on sweetened soft drinks, a $10,000 per abortion tax, and a 50% tax on violent video games. A ten-member panel would determine which games are violent and then taxes would be levied against game publishers.
“One of my legislative proposals is to do away with property taxes statewide,” Locke stated. “I take the position that the Founding Fathers took: That the power to tax is the power to destroy. So our concept is that we need to tax things we don’t want and you want to not tax things that you want to encourage.”
Texas primaries will occur in March. Locke will be running against incumbent Governor Rick Perry and two others.