Opinion: Video game and TV tax to support education is a good idea

New Mexico Democrat Gail Chasey is getting set to draw the ire of some of her consumer constituents, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report. The lawmaker announced impending legislation last last week (January 25, 2007) that would levy a one percent tax on video games and televisions sold in the state. According to Chasey, the program will “Improve the academic performances of our kids” and help to fight child obesity.

Money from the fund, which is expected to garner four million dollars each year, will also be used to finance field trips to state parks and other outdoor areas. Chasey, a former educator, intends to use these outdoor classrooms to encourage healthy and active lifestyles for the students and bolster academic performance. The program is titled “No Child Left Inside,” a snarky homage to the current administration’s education policy.

I wouldn’t mind paying a little extra for games if I knew the money was going to a good cause. Besides, if the average game is sixty dollars (usually the new release price point) then you’re only going to end up paying sixty cents more. It’s a different story if you’re buying a three thousand dollar flat screen, but if you can afford that you probably aren’t too concerned about a one percent tax in any case. You rich jerk.

Of course, this program might be as dismal a failure as “No Child Left Behind.” That beauty will most certainly receive the ax, and soon. It was birthed in good intention, to be sure (everyone digs accountability, even godless hippies), but punishing struggling schools by removing vital funding is just plain stupid.

According to a spokesman from the Sierra Club, New Mexico’s high school graduation rate is “just over half,” which is a shit-ton of kids left behind. Deep, systemic problems which produce those kinds of graduation rates aren’t likely to be remedied overnight by field trips to the wildlife sanctuary, but at least it’s a turn in the right direction.

Read [AFP Google]