German City Raking In Big Bucks From Prostitution Tax.

They say prostitution is the world’s oldest profession, yet it still remains illegal and taboo in many countries around the world. This forces many prostitutes to work in secret and constantly dodge the authorities to ply their trade.

Of course, it’s not like that everywhere. There are a few countries that have actually legalized prostitution. One of them is Germany. Prostitutes don’t have to lurk in the shadows there. In fact, prostitution is considered employment just like any other job.

That’s why, like any other employed person, prostitutes in Germany have to pay taxes. There’s even a nightly operational fee. These fees were initially charged to brothels but then the German city of Bonn took it a step further.

City officials estimate they have about 200 sex workers and on  given night about 20 of them can be found  of them working the streets. Then they asked themselves, “Why aren’t we getting a piece of that?” That’s when they got the idea for installing “sex meters” throughout the city.

Last August, Bonn introduced these to try and cash in on what still seems to be a lucrative business even in today’s economic climate. How they work: the sex workers pay $8.65 into the machines (Does that mean hookers will be asking for exact change?) and the machines provide a ticket which authorizes them to work the streets between 8:15PM and 6AM. Think of them as robopimps.

That $8.65 is said to be a flat rate, which is fitting since that’s the position most of those sex workers have to work in…

Sorry.

A few of the girls have voiced disagreement with the devices since they say they already pay income tax. That, in itself, begs the question though. When they fill out their tax returns, can they claim for deductions on stuff like ball gags and fuzzy handcuffs? I mean, they should count as business equipment, right?

Anyway, despite those protests, the city seems to have a good thing going. The meters earned $400 the first weekend and by the end of the year, only 4 months since they were installed, city raked in a cool $18,200  in revenue from those meters alone. Not too shabby, huh?

These robopimps better earn their keep, though. The city paid $11,575 for the sex meters’ installation plus there’s the additional cost of hiring security to protect the prostitutes as they use them. The meters ‘ manufacturers, Siemens, are known for…

Hey! Stop that! What are you, 12 years old?

*snickers* …Siemens…

Ahem! Anyway, aside from the cost of the meters, the city also paid to have special parking areas, called consummation areas, built where the prostitutes and their clients can go-um-transact business.

As you can see, they’re made of *snort!* wood.

The idea is getting mixed reviews worldwide but one thing seems certain, with the German government netting a total of around $326,000 last year from prostitution and these new meters adding some additional revenue, don’t be surprised if the idea spreads.

Ha! Spreads! Get it?!

Sorry…

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