The effort, which was scrapped by the administration on Wednesday, the same day it was set to go into effect, would have imposed the fee on most American growers for each fresh-cut Christmas tree sold this holiday season. ABC News http://abcnews.go.co...ristmas-tree-tax/ explains that the proposal was backed by the very growers that would have had to pay the fee, and that the money would have gone to a new marketing board set up by the tree growing industry, much like the "Got Milk" dairy marketing campaign or the beef industry’s "What’s for Dinner" commercials.

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White House spokesman Matt Lehrich had this to say in response to the whole thing: "I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama Administration is not taxing Christmas trees. What’s being talked about here is an industry group deciding to impose fees on itself to fund a promotional campaign."

The growers echoed that sentiment. "The program is not expected to have any impact on the final price consumers pay for their Christmas tree," the National Christmas Tree Association said in a statement.



http://slatest.slate..._on_growers_.html