By: Sam Hernandez
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - It has been almost five months since the “tanning tax” began, making salon owners nervous for business and customers upset about higher prices. On July 1st of this year, President Obama’s health reform addressed that tanning salons would have to initiate a tax on tanning by 10 percent.
“It has affected business,” says Erica Michel, owner of Sunset Beach tanning salon in Fort Collins. With increased prices, Michel has had to adapt to the tax in order to keep doors open.
The tan tax is expected to bring in $2.7 billion over a period of ten years and go towards the health care plan. The tax was created when health officials claimed exposure to UV rays, including from tanning beds, greatly increases the chance of developing melanoma or other types of skin cancer.
Michel explained that the government doesn’t want people to tan because, “they don’t want you to hurt yourself, but when you do decide to do it, they want money from you.”
According to the FDA, tanning increases the risk of melanoma by 75 percent when women start tanning before the age of 35. This caused great concern since 30 million people frequent tanning beds over the U.S. and 75 percent are below the age of 30.
“I don’t think the tax will make people stop; I think it will make them tan less often,” Michel says.
Most average salon owners, usually middle class females, are not happy about the tax. With 9,000 jobs in jeopardy and more than 1,000 salons at risk, owners are having to think of ways to compensate for the increased prices.
“Of course I’ve had to cut back on spending because of the economy, but the tan tax does not help,” explained Michel.
With about 17 tanning salons in the college town of Fort Collins, businesses have always had to compete with each other. Now that the tan tax has been implemented, salons are thinking of new ways to attract customers. Sunset Beach tanning salon has always done half price tanning before 11 a.m., but now that the tan tax is in effect, their prices have risen.
Michel explained spray tans and sunless tanning options have increased at salons dramatically since the tax was implemented. And with the weather beginning to get cooler, more visits to the salon are expected.
CSU student, Katie Benjamin has been tanning for almost two years. Benjamin was not aware of the 10 percent increase on tanning, but she still goes tanning and has a two year contract that ends in February 2011, which she plans to renew.
“I’m already paying $54 a month,” Benjamin explains, “I’m paying enough to be tan, I don’t need more money added.”
“If they ask me why there is a change in prices I let them know and tell them to thank their president,” says Michel. With a slight pause she continues, “I say it nicely...”
This is a really well constructed story. The progress from the local angle to a national level and how it affects people on both sides is very interesting. I like that you supported each quote with specific facts that work very well with the quote. The only critique I can offer is that you made it a very local story, which in essence is not a bad thing. I would have just liked to hear maybe one more graf on how severe it has been nationwide. But really you did the task of taking a national issue and making it very close to home, good job!
ReplyDeleteSpenser Hanson