Don't Be Handing Out Free Beverages In Big Governmentville
Todd Starnes writes on FoxNewsradio:
A Louisiana church was ordered to stop giving away free water along Mardi Gras parade routes because they did not have the proper permits."We were given a cease and desist order," said Matt Tipton, pastor of Hope Church in Metairie, LA. "We had no idea we were breaking the law."
Tipton said volunteers from his church were handing out free coffee and free bottles of water at two locations along a Mardi Gras parade route when they were stopped by Jefferson Parish officials. The church volunteers were cited for failing to secure an occupational license and for failure to register for a sales tax.
"It kind of threw me for a loop because they weren't in uniform," he said. "But once they pulled the ticket out, I was conviniced."
"We apologized," Tipton said. "We didn't know the rules."
The church had purchased about five thousand bottles of water labeled with the church's name and website address. They gave the remaining bottles to a local drug rehab center.
A spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed to Fox News that the church had violated the law.
...Ken Klukowski, a senior legal fellow at the Family Research Council, said the citation was absurd.
..."The idea that you need an additional level of bureaucracy stopping a church from showing kindness to members of the community is a perfect example of a waste of taxpayer money and resources," he said.
via ifeminists
This kind of thing has nothing to do with public health and everything to do with protecting the monopoly interests of the favored few commercial enterprises -- those that play the game and grease the gubmint palm.
Yet another instance of government taking sides when it should be on the sidelines. In a broader context, this is properly referred to as fascism.
...And just another indication that both our basic freedoms and the free market system are headed for the crapper, and with it, the living standards we've gotten used to.
cpabroker at February 28, 2012 3:45 AM
What part of free is taxed?
This law needs to be changed.
Jim P. at February 28, 2012 4:47 AM
Wow how ridiculous! Also, churches are tax exempt at any rate, but this is really really lame.
Melody at February 28, 2012 9:09 AM
But handing out beads in exchange for tits, which I would accept as compensation, is a-OK.
smurfy at February 28, 2012 2:30 PM
Something about this seems fishy...
Occupational licensing: Giving away free things does not constitute an occupation, as long as they weren't paying the volunteers or accepting donations for each water bottle.
Registering for a sales tax that would never be collected seems ridiculous.
Cat at February 28, 2012 3:41 PM
New Orleans is Leftist City so none of this surprises me a bit. Just keeping it real.
"What part of free is taxed?"
Don't give them any ideas.
Cousin Dave at February 28, 2012 8:38 PM
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