yoga tax madness (a guest blogger's perspective)

DC Yoga Tax

            A few weeks ago, the DC Council made the ill informed decision to tax local gyms and yoga studios.  In a time with rising health care costs and a focus on exercising combined with personal responsibility this decision confounds me.  I question whether or not any of the DC Councilmen and women have ever attended a yoga class in DC.  They embody the essence of community.  They truly care about their attendees and the community that they live in.  Why would we make it even more expensive for Yoga studios to remain profitable in Washington DC. 

            Health and wellness seems to be a political buzzword that everyone supports until it comes time to pay for it or support it.  This could not be more accurate in this case.  Yoga classes are already expensive for a majority of individuals and this tax will only make it worse.  The high cost is not reflective of a yoga studio owner who wants to add an addition on their Hawaiian beach front property; it is due to the overall cost of operating a business in Washington DC.

This fitness tax is an ill-conceived cash grab by a DC council that has truly lost its way.  They need to get back to basics, look over the ENTIRE budget and make decisions that do not close down local businesses, prevent residents from exercising, and reduce the overall communal feel residents and business owners love so much. 

I suggest, the DC Council take a field trip to their local studio and see if they believe this is the type of business they want to target as a revenue source.  I think it is time they opened their eyes to see the vital role these small business owners play in their community.  They are the real health providers for the District of Columbia.  $5 million dollars is hardly worth the health and character of Washington DC.