If the deals agreed upon in the proposed budget remain in place, expect to pay more to see a concert or a show.
Pennsylvania lawmakers want to impose a six percent sales tax on tickets and that's not making many music fans happy.
Hundreds of fans came out to the Scranton Cultural Center Tuesday night, planning to rock out to shock performer Alice Cooper.
The event took in more than 1,400 people, who paid $35 to $50 for a ticket.
But if the proposed Pennsylvania budget passes with all of the agreed-upon deals included, fans will shell out more dough to cover a newly added six percent sales tax.
"I think it's unfair, in today's economy. You just about can't afford concert tickets as it is and you add another tax on there, people won't be going to concerts, they just can't afford it," said John Demore of Mount Cobb.
A drop in attendance is exactly what Matt Flynn fears will happen with a sales tax imposed.
The executive director of the Scranton Cultural Center said tickets sales are already down due to the economy and an added tax would drive more people away.
Flynn also questions why sporting events would be exempt from the tax since many theaters, including the Cultural Center, are non-profit organizations.
"We have events for children where we charge a dollar for popcorn or a dollar for a hotdog. We don't get to charge the prices that other people can charge, such as large sporting venues. That is a big difference to us," said Flynn.
For fans at the Cultural Center, they say taxing one form of entertainment and not another is simply unfair.
"What's the difference? It's still a show. Everybody wants to see a show, whether it be a sporting event, or a concert or a professional wrestling match," said Ray Kuzmak of Saylorsburg. "And if they're going to tax one, they should tax all of them, but I don't think they should tax any of them."
State lawmakers said the reason sporting events are not included in the tax is due to deals that were made when new stadiums were built in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The state agreed to help finance the construction, and in return, the professional teams in those cities guaranteed millions in annual tax revenue to the state.
Pennsylvania lawmakers want to impose a six percent sales tax on tickets and that's not making many music fans happy.
Hundreds of fans came out to the Scranton Cultural Center Tuesday night, planning to rock out to shock performer Alice Cooper.
The event took in more than 1,400 people, who paid $35 to $50 for a ticket.
But if the proposed Pennsylvania budget passes with all of the agreed-upon deals included, fans will shell out more dough to cover a newly added six percent sales tax.
"I think it's unfair, in today's economy. You just about can't afford concert tickets as it is and you add another tax on there, people won't be going to concerts, they just can't afford it," said John Demore of Mount Cobb.
A drop in attendance is exactly what Matt Flynn fears will happen with a sales tax imposed.
The executive director of the Scranton Cultural Center said tickets sales are already down due to the economy and an added tax would drive more people away.
Flynn also questions why sporting events would be exempt from the tax since many theaters, including the Cultural Center, are non-profit organizations.
"We have events for children where we charge a dollar for popcorn or a dollar for a hotdog. We don't get to charge the prices that other people can charge, such as large sporting venues. That is a big difference to us," said Flynn.
For fans at the Cultural Center, they say taxing one form of entertainment and not another is simply unfair.
"What's the difference? It's still a show. Everybody wants to see a show, whether it be a sporting event, or a concert or a professional wrestling match," said Ray Kuzmak of Saylorsburg. "And if they're going to tax one, they should tax all of them, but I don't think they should tax any of them."
State lawmakers said the reason sporting events are not included in the tax is due to deals that were made when new stadiums were built in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The state agreed to help finance the construction, and in return, the professional teams in those cities guaranteed millions in annual tax revenue to the state.
