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Should sales tax apply to clothing in Minnesota?

Research Paper Instructions:
Should sales tax apply to clothing in Minnesota? This assignment requires you to state and support your opinion on the issue of whether sales tax should apply to clothing in Minnesota. The final draft of your essay should be 3-5 double-spaced pages in length using Times New Roman 12 or a similar font. Use the default settings on your word processing program for margins. Please do not attempt to make your paper appear longer or shorter than it really is by making adjustments to margins, font size, or spacing. Your paper should include: - An introduction: o Usually this is one paragraph o A thesis statement that states your opinion on this topic. The thesis statement usually comes at the end of the introductory paragraph. A strong thesis statement is focused and specific and gives the reader a sense of the scope and direction of your paper. It may be more than one sentence. - The body of your paper, which will incorporate: o The context of the issue you're addressing o Evidence to support your thesis o Consideration of both sides of the argument. You will refute the arguments that do not support your opinion. You must, however, be respectful of opinions that differ from yours. - A conclusion: o One or two paragraphs o Restate your thesis and the main points of your paper. o You may include a one- or two-sentence implication or extension of your thesis statement Your paper should be well organized and free from spelling and grammatical errors. A title page is not required, but you should include a “Works Cited” (MLA) or “References” (APA) page at the end. You must use sources to support your thesis. Chapters 4 and 13 of our textbook can help you better understand what this looks like within the body of an essay. You may use either MLA or APA style (our textbook covers MLA). For help with MLA and APA, go to http://owl(dot)english(dot)purdue(dot)edu/owl/section/2/ or visit the Writing Center on campus. For this assignment, I have selected the possible sources for you. You must use at least three sources, but you need not use all of them. 1. State of Minnesota. http://www(dot)revenue(dot)state(dot)mn(dot)us/businesses/sut/factsheets/FS105.pdf 2. Tax Foundation. http://taxfoundation(dot)org/blog/state-sales-taxes-clothing 3. Pioneer Press. http://www(dot)twincities(dot)com/politics/ci_22385873/minnesota-lawmakers-start-assess-reach-sales-tax 4. People's Press. http://www(dot)southernminn(dot)com/owatonna_peoples_press/news/article_3450efc7-34d5-581b-9d00-57389ca6d58a.html 5. Star Tribune. http://www(dot)startribune(dot)com/politics/statelocal/191554371.html?refer=y 6. MPR News. http://minnesota(dot)publicradio(dot)org/display/web/2013/01/12/politics/lawmakers-consider-taxing-clothing-in-minn 7. Duluth News Tribune. http://www(dot)duluthnewstribune(dot)com/event/article/id/257563/ Due dates: - Outline is due on Friday, April 26th (D2L) at 10 PM - Rough draft is due Friday, May 3rd (D2L and TurnItIn) at 10 PM - Final draft is due Wednesday, May 15th (D2L and TurnItIn) at 10 PM Example of outline format (Note: you may have more than 3 points of support and more or fewer than 3 details per support) Thesis statement: _________________________________________ I. Support 1 a. Detail A b. Detail B c. Detail C II. Support 2 a. Detail A b. Detail B c. Detail C III. Support 3 a. Detail A b. Detail B c. Detail C Grading Rubric Little or no credit Partial Full Introduction Introduction is missing or is confusing. Thesis statement is missing. Introduction is included but is not effectively organized or does not engage the reader. Thesis statement is not clearly presented. Introduction is clear and effective; it draws the reader into the paper. Thesis statement is explicit and concise. Body of paper No background information is provided. The paper is does not recognize arguments for the opposing viewpoint. The author's position is not well-supported and is not convincing. The organization does not support or develop the thesis; the lack of order and structure inhibit the reader's understanding. Language is trite, conversational, or inappropriate. Background information is provided but not integrated into the rest of the paper. Arguments for the opposing view are included but are not adequately and respectfully rebutted. The author's thesis is not well-supported and the paper does not persuade the reader. The organization of the paper supports the central idea, but the order and structure do not readily move the reader through the text. Language is limited or perfunctory. Background information is clear. The author's position is clear, well-supported, and persuasive. Arguments for both sides of the issue are clearly and respectfully explained; opposing views are effectively rebutted. The organization of this section supports the central idea and the order and structure move the reader through the paper easily. Rich yet natural language is used to convey the author's message. Conclusion The conclusion is missing or is confusing. The conclusion rambles, fails to restate the thesis and main points clearly, or is mechanical and repetitive. The conclusion succinctly and clearly restates the thesis and the main points of the paper. Conventions The paper contains frequent errors in sentence construction, punctuation, mechanics, grammar, or spelling that detract from the overall quality of the paper. Citations are missing. Errors in sentence construction, punctuation, mechanics, grammar, or spelling detract from the overall quality of the paper. Citations are incorrectly or inappropriately done. The author correctly uses standard writing conventions, including appropriate citations.
Research Paper Sample Content Preview:

SHOULD MINNESOTA INTRODUCE TAX ON CLOTHING?
Name
Name of Institution
Name of Professor
Date of Submission
Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Thesis PAGEREF _Toc354818644 \h 3Only General-use Clothing Exempted PAGEREF _Toc354818645 \h 3Avoiding Discriminatory Policies PAGEREF _Toc354818646 \h 4Increase in Revenue and Reduction of Budget Deficit PAGEREF _Toc354818647 \h 4The State is at a Competitive Disadvantage PAGEREF _Toc354818648 \h 5Sales Tax of Clothing will meet Tax Policy Criteria PAGEREF _Toc354818649 \h 6Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc354818650 \h 8
Thesis
It is estimated that the sales tax exemption on clothing costs the State of Minnesota about $300 million annually and it is noteworthy to highlight that for several decades now, the State has not has not had sales tax on clothes and has remained among only 8 states in the US that do not have a sales tax on this product according to Janssen (2011). This means that to an extent, the state has remained fairly competitive and attractive compared to other states that do not have sales tax and therefore leading to more tourists from within and outside the state who come to seek more for the dollar when it comes to clothing. However though, Minnesota general sales tax remains one of the highest among the US states and this raises a debate on whether the sales tax on clothing can be applied and the revenue used to subsidize the overall tax rate and effectively making purchases cheaper for the common Minnesota citizens. This essay seeks to explain why a move that would install sales tax on clothing would be wise and a step toward the right direction. An analysis of other arguments that seek to retain the status quo (zero sales tax on clothing) shall also be done and the possible outcomes weighed against the possible outcomes of the proposals of this essay.
Only General-use Clothing Exempted
The department in charge of application of tax has describes the clothing to beexempted as any apparel that is designed for general use such as coats, lab coats, neckties, panties, shirts, blouses etc.This effectively leaves out apparels such as fur clothing, protective clothing (such as steel boots and gloves), clothing accessories (for example wigs and weaves) and recreational or sports clothing and equipment such as hairclips and pet clothing which fall under the taxed bracket. This can raise a number of fundamental issues in the classification of these clothing seeing as different citizens are ascribed to particular clothing.
Avoiding Discriminatory Policies
First and foremost, due to the different tastes and preferences in human beings there should not be such a classification because this can be termed as discriminatory. Preferences are not only limited to things such as food and environment for example and therefore clothing remains a commodity that people will always have different tastes in. Take for example a man who prefers to take part in sports and therefore chooses sports as a way of life and effectively adopts a lifestyle that reflects the same. This individual will most probably prefer to don sports wear from head to toe at most times. In the Minnesota tax code, these clothing is taxed and this is clearly a discriminatory move towards him and such like individuals. Similarly ladies who choose to adopt a fashion weaves and accessories as a way of life will find themselves paying more to the state than the other counterparts who prefer to purchase what has been defined as clothing for ‘general use". Taxation should be harmonized across all platforms, after all, clothes are just clothes and a purchase is just that, a purchase. This will ensure more revenue from across all classes of clothing and therefor raise more revenue while at the same time keeping discriminatory charges at bay as all citizens are deemed equal.
Increase in Revenue and Reduction of Budget Deficit
Another reason to tax clothing is clothing is to safeguard the future of the revenue collected in Minnesota and help boost the efforts towards dealing with the deficit of the state budget. For a period of more than 10 years the state has been grappling with a budget deficit that is being projected to reach $1.1 billion in 2013(McNichol, Johnson&Oliff, 2010). Since, as already pointed out, the state is estimated to lose out on about $300M per year from the exemption of clothes on sales tax, it would be prudent for legislation to fast-track the implementation of this tax levy so as to help cut this deficit in just a few years. Taxation of clothing should not be viewed as a measure that will kill the booming industry in the State as this is already in place in other big states where the clothing industry is still equally thriving despite the tax. It is important to look at the bigger picture other than the short term effects of introducing the tax. This is because it is deceptive to think that tourist shall stop flocking into the states main shopping attractions such as Mall of America which is essence receives most of its visitors locally and a significant number of tourists do not only visit the place for clothing as there are other major products that they come to seek. When Minnesota applies these state sales taxes on clothing, the overall benefits shall trickle down to the common resident or citizen who is not only seeking a lowered r...
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