German City Finds New Way To Raise Revenue: Hooker Meters

    In the German city of Bonn sex workers who walk the streets must buy an all evening pass from a vending machine-ostensibly to make the taxes paid by women who work in brothels fairer. As of Monday street prostitutes had to pay a 6 Euros fee at start of business, regardless of the number of customers served. A notice on the machine defines working hours as Monday through Sunday, 8:15 PM to 6:00 AM.

     This is the first meter employed for this purpose. In Dortmund there is a similar daily permit, but there it is sold at gas stations. City spokeswoman Monika Frombgen said that the machines were designed for women who might have limited German skills and thus have difficulty with income tax forms. Inspectors are sent out to check tickets and a prostitute found working without a permit will first be let off with a warning, followed by fines and possibly a ban.

     Bonn, the capitol of both West Germany and unified Germany until 1999, has been facing financial difficulties lately. The city introduced a tax on prostitution at the beginning of the year. The city of about 325,000 expects to raise 300,000 Euros a year from this source.

Auf weidersehen.


Source: The Local