Welcome to Dumb Laws
July 1, 2008
Spend Those Gift Cards Quickly
Nachama Soloveichik
Some dumb laws are more offensive than funny. This legislation from a Milwaukee representative is just that. In 2007, Rep. Fred Kessler introduced legislation mandating that the value of unused gift cards should go to the Wisconsin state treasury--not to the merchant who sold it. Calling unused gift cards a "windfall," Kessler said the money could be used to support schools, health care, or roads. Under his legislation, he was kind enough to allow merchants to keep 20% of the value of the card. The remaining 80% would be seized by the state.
Talk about audacity. The unused money belongs to the merchant fair and square. This bill was nothing more than a government cash grab.
Posted at 12:14 PM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #
