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CLICK
HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY BRIAN MARTELL
2003 Articles:
[ An Awful Lot of Coffee In Brazil ] [ Boston Tea Party ] [ Capo di Tutti Cappuccini ] [ The 10th Commandment... of Coffee ] [ The Ethics of Our Industry ] [ To Dream the Impossible Dream ]
Boston Tea Party, 1773
Seattle Espresso Party, 2003
© 2003 Brian Martell
A
proposed bill is before the municipal council of Seattle, which would see a 10-cent tax placed on all
espresso based beverages. Councilman Burbank, who spawned this brain wave, is
looking for ways to raise funds for an early education programme... surmising
that those who indulge in espresso can afford the "one thin dime" tax,
and probably wouldn't notice the addition to the tab anyway, as espresso fetches
a higher price than regular coffee. He further went on to note that decent
people would want to support such a noble initiative, which could give the
disadvantaged a better start. On the surface, some may be inclined to agree with
Burbank
, as it sounds like a good idea. There are,
however, several fatal flaws in his argument.
By targeting one type of beverage for a special tax, Burbank
is not only penalizing espresso drinkers, but
also those on the other side of the counter, namely coffee house owners, to the
exclusion of all others. Beyond being saddled with the onus of tax collector for
the city, most owners recognize the damage this kind of tax will have on their
sales and profitability. In effect, the proposed tax will seek to sacrifice
espresso consumers and purveyors for Millsian ideals (John Stuart Mill suggested
that the best government was utilitarian, seeking to create the greatest good
for the greatest number.) The logical conclusion to Mill's theory is to kill or
enslave the richest and redistribute their wealth to the remaining population).
Further, allowing a specific tax on espresso coffee would (not could) lead to
other capricious taxes being levied on everything from bottled water to
band-aids. Those who would support such an initiative, thinking that it
does not affect them, would be wise to consider the dangerous precedent being
set.
Beyond the obvious arguments why this is a bad idea lies a more fundamental
point of what is the proper role for governments. 230 years ago, American
revolutionaries disguised as Mohawks dumped several hundred Darjeeling
tea chests into Boston
Harbor
to protest, among other things, taxation
without representation, the lack of individual political rights, and the tea
tax.
Prior to the "Boston Tea Party," the American
colonists were predominantly tea drinkers; afterwards, coffee supplanted tea as a form of
protest and to avoid the tax. Things heated up in the colonies,
culminating 3 years later in Thomas Jefferson's magnum opus, the Declaration of
Independence, and the ensuing war. Borrowing heavily from the 17th Century
British philosopher John Locke,
Jefferson
summed up the ideals of the new republic as
the inalienable right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
If ever there were an official beverage of the American Revolution, coffee would
be it.
Now, 230 years later, the very beverage that symbolized American laissez faire
capitalism and individual rights may become the victim of statism. The
irony may be too much, but one thing is certain, our American coffee industry
cousins better be prepared to defeat this bill. If not, along with coffee
shops, Seattle
vending operators could see further
profit erosion if Council also applies the espresso tax to vending machines. Worse, other municipalities or even states may follow suit on the tax, and
broaden it to include all coffee beverages. The greater coffee community
could become the beast of an insatiable tax burden, a burden that could migrate
north to the Canadian coffee industry.
As this drama draws to a conclusion in the coming weeks, those of us in the
industry will be musing on one question: Are there any "Mohawks"
in
Seattle?
Questions or comments? Reach Brian at Brian@heritage-coffee.com
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