By Ersha Kumar With the exception of Allegheny County there is a six percent sales tax in Pennsylvania, and according to the Allentown’s city newspaper, Morning Call, there are various items that are tax exempt due to their importance and necessity to the public. For example, food, clothing, prescription drugs, residential utilities, and alcohol from bars and restaurants have no sales tax placed on them. However, what about items that are essential for a woman to go about their day? Feminine care items, such as tampons and sanitary napkins, are still taxed in 40 states around the country, according to the Washington Post. Luckily for Pennsylvanians, stores do not tax tampons. However, more states in the United States should be taking the same course of action that Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Jersey have. Sarah Reinbrecht, junior, has many thoughts regarding the unfair legislation of the taxation of feminine products. “I think there are a lot of misconceptions of how crucial feminine products are. They are truly necessary in order for a woman to go about her daily life,” she says. “ They shouldn’t be taxed, and it’s really unfair that a product exclusive to women is taxed highly.” Another junior, Natalie MacKinnon, also has a lot of opinions on how even in the 21st century, we still have to have this conversation about women being able to receive basic necessities. “Our government taxes plenty of items, but to tax something so feminine and label it nonessential gives the impression that politics are dominated by men who do not care or are uneducated about women's needs.” There are political, ethical, and economic concerns when it comes to the tampon tax. It seems to me that this shouldn’t even be a problem in the first place. Feminine products are a basic necessity that women need in order to go about their routine. Repealing the tax of feminine products is a step that needs to be taken in order for women to live a more equal and comfortable life.
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Elena Caputo
Hi! My name is Elena, and I'm a senior at Wilson and one of the Editors of the Editorial section. If you have any questions or ideas or if you want to write, email me at [email protected]! Olivia MonosHello! My name is Olivia and I'm a junior this year, and one of the editors of the Editorial section! I'm really excited to write for the Paw Print again this year!
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