Sometimes life mimics fiction. And sometimes life is so much stranger than fiction you have to double check the headlines to ensure they aren\u2019t satire. The latest doubletake comes from New Jersey, where, under the guise of environmentalism, local legislators have passed a new tax on\u2014wait for it\u2014 the rain.<\/p>\n
Governments are known for a lack of creativity and an uncanny ability to think only inside the box. However, when it comes to getting creative with inventing new forms of taxation, they never disappoint. Chicago, for example, recently implemented a\u00a0\u201cPlayStation\u201d tax<\/a>\u00a0on its residents as part of the city\u2019s previously existing \u201camusement tax,\u201d which, just as it sounds, taxes individuals on almost all forms of entertainment.<\/p>\n California, on the other hand, recently tried to get away with unprecedented levels of extortion when it tried to tax residents for their\u00a0drinking water<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0text messages<\/a>. The water tax is still on the table, but luckily, the Golden State did not succumb to the new ridiculous texting tax. New Jersey, though, might not be so lucky.<\/p>\n To be perfectly clear, while the new tax is being referred to as the \u201crain tax,\u201d it doesn\u2019t actually tax the rain itself, but that doesn\u2019t make the context of the legislation any less absurd.<\/p>\nBlame It on the Rain<\/strong><\/h3>\n