SACRAMENTO – A desperate California legislature passed a bill to tax every tattoo on every California resident.

In his remaining months in office, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to try to find new and innovative ways to keep the state from going completely bankrupt. His latest idea was passed overwhelmingly the state legislature: taxing tattoos. This is not a tax on purchasing tattoos, nor is it a tax on tattoos parlors. This is a new state fee that must be paid for every tattoo that a resident has on his or her body.

Schwarzenegger dubbed it: The Tat Tax.

“There are 37 million residents of California. We estimate that about 25 million residents have tattoos and many have them have over ten tattoos on their body. We are sitting on an ink-mine that will help put the state back in black, or in color if you prefer,” Schwarzenegger said. “For every tattoo that a California resident has, he or she will now have to pay the state $50 a year, every year. If a person has ten tattoos, that would be $500 a year, every year.”

“With over 75 million tattoos on California residents, at $50 a pop, we can bring in $3.75 billion annually,” said State Controller Susan Berwick. “And it’ll be easy to enforce. If you have a tattoo, you can’t hide it. We’ll find you, and you’ll pay.”

State Senator, Chan Wee of Oakland California said, “We’ve taxed cigarettes, liquor, and everything else that we consider vices. Tattoos are not vices, but they can be addictive, so we might as well tax them in the same manner – as a way to save people from this addiction. We are also looking at taxing piercings, surfing and skateboarding. Those all can be addictive.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger does not have a tattoo, though there are over 50,000 California residents that have the Governor’s likeness tattooed on their backs, breasts or butts. Some cynics in Sacramento suggested Schwarzenegger get the words “Epic Fail” tattooed across his forehead. Those cynics were last seen on the Santa Monica Pier.

The State legislature also passed a bill that required every California resident who does NOT have a tattoo – to get one. “If you’re in California, you need to have a tattoo. If you don’t have a tattoo, we will provide one for you. Our residents will love having the California state flag on your chest,” said Berwick.

Kat Von D and Jesse James will be spearheading an ad campaign promoting the new Tat Tax.

California will be voting to legalize marijuana in November and that should bring in about $1 billion in revenue for the state. Some state lawmakers think they can double that amount because “stoned people are easily duped, so we can probably double the tax and they won’t even know it, especially if we give them free pizza first.”

Thanks WeeklyWorldNews

On an otherwise nondescript street in Wynwood, a two-story building seems to be breathing fire in the middle of NW 36 Street between Second and Third Avenues. This is the home of Hell Bound City Tattoo. As soon as you walk in, you quickly realize this isn’t South Beach. When have you seen devotion to something other than the almighty dollar when visiting the highly overrated, overpriced Tattoos by Lou?

Hell Bound has a picture of what looks like Hemingway on its wall. We ask Esteban Dalpra, the shop’s Argentinian proprietor, “Who’s the old man?” “Oh, that’s Sailor Jerry,” he explains, considered the God of tattoos. Born in 1911, Sailor Jerry was an unofficial pirate who mentored the likes of the ubiquitous Ed Hardy and pretty much created the foundation for modern tattoo culture.

After this brief history lesson, we spoke to Esteban about the tattoos he refuses to do, why inking in Wynwood is better than inking in South Beach, and the lasting impact of Miami Ink.

Esteban prefers tattooing Wynwood’s clientele. There are no drunken frat boys stumbling in from Ocean Drive. Esteban says that Hell Bound customers “are more educated. They do research on the design and on the artists. They know what they want. They have thought about it.” Most of Hell Bound’s clientele want traditional (pin-ups, ’50s, sailor-style designs) or Japanese art. Due to the urban demographic in Wynwood, lots of customers also want black and gray gangsta-style tattoos.

There are some tattoos he refuses to do. When he talks about his work, you can see he takes tattoo art very seriously. He isn’t one to jump at the chance to take $400 from a drunken tourist who wants a tramp stamp of a careening dolphin to take back to Minnesota. In fact, he once gave a deposit back to a customer when he found out the dragon tattoo the customer wanted wasn’t a Japanese-style dragon, but a cheesy medieval dragon with equally tacky adornments.

On his inspirations: Esteban practically glows when he speaks about the artists he has been influenced by and still admires, like Mike Wilson, Bob Roberts, and Horiyoshi, and the contemporary, legend-in-the-making tattoo artist, Frederico Ferroni. “He makes new styles and totally surpasses the artists I was influenced by, like in a flash, in no time.”

How Miami Ink changed the industry: Esteban says the Miami Ink phenomenon has done both good and bad for the industry. The show made tattoos more acceptable to a society that previously considered tattooed flesh the mark of criminals and sailors. Miami Ink made it okay for suburbanites to get tatted up, “When the show started, they would focus on the story behind the tattoo. Some girl lost her cat, and she came in for a tattoo of the cat. Understanding the reasons behind the tattoos made it more acceptable in society.”

The problem that resulted is that 20 tattoo shops sprouted up in South Beach, when previously there had been only one or two. With so many shops, artists became more like salespeople, trying to get that one sale before the customer walked half a block to another shop and a better sales pitch. With that much competition, customers could become scarce. “How many people can you tattoo?” asks Esteban.

Hell Bound artists spend a lot of time fixing other’s tattoo fails. Unfortunately, lots of potential customers don’t educate themselves and end up with bad tatts they got at the flea market or the Beach, which is why Hell Bound makes a lot of its business from cover-ups. Although he rather do more original work, it makes Esteban happy when he can turn someone’s bad tattoo into something they can be proud of. “Sometimes it changes their life.” See the below before and afters:

Thanks MiamiNewsTime

The Safe Body Art Act passed the California Senate with a 29-4 vote yesterday afternoon. The bill would create new regulations for tattoo artists and body piercers. The legislation will be voted on again in the assembly where it already passed once. It will then go to Governor Schwarzenegger who vetoed a similar bill last year.

he legislation was introduced by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco). Currently, state law only requires piercing and tattoo shops to register with their county, obtain a copy of local regulations, and pay a $25 fee.

If passed, the bill would require shops to pay a fee set at the local level and register annually with a law enforcement agency. Individual piercers and tattoo artists would also have to register and show proof of first aid and CPR training, a hepatitis B vaccine, and completion of a blood-borne pathogen training program. They would be required to post proof of their registration at work. Police and health officials would be allowed to randomly inspect shops and suspect their permit if violations are found. Those businesses found in violation would face a hearing process and fines of up to $1,000.

The new law would also require clients to sign a consent form that provides information on proper care for the piercing or tattoo as well as provide their medical history. Businesses would have to keep this information confidential. This bill would also regulate the performance of body art in vehicles, temporary booths, and at body art events.

Minors would be prohibited from receiving tattoos, permanent cosmetics, genital piercings, and branding, regardless of parental consent. Permanent cosmetics to a minor’s nipples would require a doctor’s note and parental consent. Minors could still receive piercings with the consent of their parent or guardian however businesses would have the right to refuse them.

Ear piercing done with a single-use, presterilized stud or needle by a mechanical device (piercing guns) would be exempt from the definition of body art. These practitioners would still have to register annually, face specified regulations, and show proof of various trainings.

The bill is supported by The Association of Professional Piercers, individual tattoo artists and environmental health officials, such as the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health.

Among the supporters is our own local piercing and tattoo shop owner, Paul Stoll, of Body Manipulations in the Mission District. He told the Chronicle that the lack of stringent rules makes it difficult for people who want to do things right. The law would help level the playing field by stopping other businesses from cutting corners.

Thanks SFAppeal

Tattoos and body piercings were once a stigma in the workplace, but new research showed that times are changing. According to FOX Business, more and more employers are accepting applicants with body art in order to avoid decreasing their candidate pool.

Tattoos are now so prevalent that companies are somewhat forced to deal with them as finding a candidate without a body stamp may be difficult. The Food and Drug Administration estimated that more than 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo. John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement consulting firm, said “…With everyone from soccer moms to MIT computer science graduates sporting tattoos, preconceptions about tattooed individuals are no longer valid. Secondly, and even more importantly, companies have a vested interest in hiring the most qualified candidate.”

Challenger also noted that “those making the hiring decisions are younger and not as adherent to traditions about workplace appearance”. Studies showed that tattooing is more prevalent among younger generations. MSNBC reported that a 2010 Pew Research Center study found that only 15 percent of Baby Boomers have tattoos, whereas 32 percent of 30-45 year olds and 38 percent of 18-29 year olds have body art. Furthermore, half of the tattooed 18-29 year olds said they have two to five tattoos. Central Valley Business Times added that 30 percent of tattooed 18-29 year olds have their art on full display and one in four have piercings other than the ear lobe.

Although body art is becoming more common in the workplace, Challenger stated that some industries will continue to be conservative. “We may never see visible tattoos on bankers, lawyers, accountants or the clergy. However, areas such as advertising, marketing, sales and technology are more inclined to be progressive and more accepting of new fashion and lifestyle trends,” he said. Sue Murphy of the National Human Resources Association told MSNBC that tattoo-friendliness also depends on the position. She explained that employees in client-facing roles are more likely to be asked to cover up. “A company [needs] to decide what is an acceptable or unacceptable image,” she said.

MSNBC speculated that tattoo-approval is likely to increase as more of the younger generation joins the workplace. However, when in doubt, Challenger recommended that interviewees play it safe and either cover up or ask someone at the company whether body art is permissible at the office.

Bill Johnson, vice president of the National Tattoo Association and owner of the Tattoo Time shop in Orlando, Florida, advised employers to rely on the quality of their service or product, rather than the appearance of their employees. “You’re always going to have a small group of people, no matter, who are going to hate tattooing…” he said. However, if the current trend continues, we may see that group of people get smaller and smaller within the workplace.

Thanks CityTownInfo

NEW YORK, N.Y.—One day your kid wants a new bike. The next day, a new cellphone. Before you know it, your little darling is as tall as you are, demanding pierced ears or even a tattoo.

Pierced ears, you say, what’s the big deal? In some cultures, girls get earrings as infants. But how do you feel about pierced ears for a boy? Or five holes in one ear for a girl?

As for tattoos, these statistics might surprise you: 22 per cent of women and 26 per cent of men said they had tattoos in a 2004 survey published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The numbers are higher among young adults: Tattoos were reported by 36 per cent of 18- to 25-year-olds and 40 per cent of 26- to 40-year-olds in a Pew Research Center survey from 2006.

But among 41- to 65-year-olds — the demographic most likely to have teenage children — only 10 per cent reported having tattoos.

So how do parents of teens, most of whom probably don’t have body art or untraditional piercings themselves, cope with kids who want nothing more than to look like LeBron James? Tattoos and earrings didn’t hurt his job prospects, so can you really argue that nobody will hire your child because of a flower on the shoulder or a stud in one ear?

Shelley Davis Mielock, who works with colleges and corporations on dress codes as part of her image-consulting business in Lansing, Mich., says parents should point out that tattoos and unusual piercings are still frowned upon in some industries and segments of corporate America. Disney employees, for example, are not permitted to have visible tattoos.

“At 17, 19 or 20, you don’t know what your future holds,” said Mielock. “I am not against tattoos or self-expression, but other people are going to form perceptions of you based on these things. I recommend if you’re going to get a tattoo, get it where you can cover it up.”

Mielock has two tattoos but has not allowed her 17-year-old son to get one. “He argues that I am being a hypocrite, but this is a decision I made as an adult and I made it knowing the perception other people could have,” she said.

Parents should also research state laws. Some states prohibit minors from being tattooed altogether; others permit minors to get tattoos only if they have parental permission or if a parent is present.

You might also point out that tattoos are not as easily discarded as video games or out-of-style shoes. J. Kim Wright told her daughter, then 15 and living in Chapel Hill, N.C., that she could get a tattoo as soon as she wanted the same design for a whole year. “She wanted Betty Boop for a few months. Then Tweety. She is now 26 and has no tattoos,” said Wright.

Kathy Sussell, like many parents, made the argument that as long as her teenagers were dependent on her financially, they had to live by her rules. “It’s my house,” said Sussell, of Brooklyn, N.Y. “If they needed to get pierced or tattooed, they could find another place to live.” Her kids are now 20 and 23, “and I think they are happy today not to have tattoos.”

But aside from rational reasons — legalities, health, future careers — experts say it’s also OK for parents to simply set limits based on what matters to them.

“I am not a believer in giving in to all kids’ demands,” said Dr. Fran Walfish, a family psychotherapist in Beverly Hills, Calif. “You say that the rules and practices are different in every family, and until you’re 18 years old, it’s a bummer, but this is what our family believes.”

She added that “nobody likes to be told what to do, or forced or over-controlled, so you need to say it clearly, but with empathy for how hard it is to be told what to do.”

Maggie Macaulay, a parent educator and parent coach who leads an organization called Redirecting Children’s Behavior in South Florida, also recommends setting reasonable limits while “side-stepping the power struggles when it comes to issues like this with teenagers. Make it a discussion so it isn’t laying down the law.”

You might ask your child why he or she is so interested in earrings or a tattoo. If you think you might agree to, say, pierced ears when the child is older, Macaulay recommends saying, “I am not ready for you to do that now,” while promising to reconsider in six months or a year.

Some parents have a more relaxed view. Dianne Sikel of Phoenix, Ariz., allowed her seven-year-old son to get his ear pierced. “He’s now 10 and rarely wears (an earring), but I don’t think it was a big deal,” she said. “It’s a tiny little hole.”

She feels a little differently about tattoos. She got one when she was 18, and now, at age 41, is considering getting it removed. “I don’t think tattoos are that big of a deal, but I am happy that he doesn’t have a permanent tattoo at 10,” she said. “Instead, we stock up on temporary tattoos like crazy.”

Susan Tordella of Ayer, Mass., doesn’t approve of tattoos, but three of her four children — now all young adults — have them. “If they want a tattoo or piercing, they’re going to find a way to do it eventually,” said Tordella, who writes a blog about parenting at RaisingAble.com.

She still thinks parents who are opposed to tattoos should let their kids know how they feel; withhold permission if they’re underage and hope that if they do get one, it’s “in an obscure place.” But she added: “There are many worse things they can do to themselves besides piercings and tattoos — which are not fatal, self-destructive or addictive,” she said. “Don’t make it a big deal or power struggle. That will only make it more attractive.”

Thanks TheStar

If you or someone in your family is thinking of getting a tattoo, it is important to know how to get a quality tattoo done safely.

Pennsylvania law requires a person to be 18 to get a tattoo without parental permission. For those younger than 18, with 13 being the youngest, a parent must be present. If a place is tattooing minors, they should be reported and not considered reputable.

So now that you know the law and you know you want a tattoo, how do you know where to go? Start looking at people with tattoos. Ask where they got it done and how the experience was. Would they recommend this parlor? Tattoo shops’ best advertisers are their customers, so spend some time looking around. Each artist has a unique style.

The next step is to visit the shop and, I should note, there should be a shop. By this, I mean a reputable tattoo artist will not be working out of their home or in a garage or basement somewhere. Ask them about their safety precautions and sterilization procedures. All reusable tattooing equipment should be sterilized in an autoclave.

Most places reuse electric guns and plastic tubing which should be sterilized regularly. Some even sterilize and reuse needles. An autoclave uses high pressure steam to sterilize and is what medical facilities use. There is no substitute for safety.

When the tattoo is being done, there are several safety practices to be on the lookout for. First of all, the artist should wear latex for the entire procedure. Some artists may change gloves several times.

Next, the needles for the tattoo should all be in sealed sterile packages and opened in front of you. The guns and tubes may or may not be in a sterile package depending on how often they are sterilized. Anything that cannot be in a sterile packet should be covered with plastic covering.

In addition, all ink for the tattoo should be poured into disposable tubs while yo watch. I repeat, it should all be done in front of you. Needles should then be disposed of in a sharps container, like you see in a hospital. All razors used to shave skin prior to the tattoo should be new, opened in front of you and then thrown into the sharps bin. If the shop uses deodorant stick to help to adhere the design to the skin, it should be applied using a tissue.

The bottom line is take your time, research and ask questions to get the best, safest tattoo possible.

Thanks CentreDaily

(ABC 6 NEWS) — They are a source of contention in many households, kids who want a tattoo and parents who won’t allow it.

In Wisconsin and Iowa minors are not allowed to get tattoos even with parental consent.

And starting this week, it will be illegal in the state of Minnesota as well.

The buzz will soon be gone for minors wanting to get a tattoo.

Right now, people under 18 can do it with a parent’s permission but in a few days, that won’t be the case.

Getting some ink was something Josh Uamanuel considered when he was a teen.

“When I was a teenager, like 13 or 14…it was just something I wanted to try,” says Uamanuel.

He waited until he turned 20 and says he’s glad.

And waiting is what Brian Grover at the Autonomy Tattoo Parlour in Rochester is pushing for.

He says he sees a lot of minors coming from Iowa to get a tattoo because of Minnesota’s law.

But still, he shies away from it because they’re so young.

“I’m glad it says “no” now because then I’m not the bad guy,” says Grover.

Holland Vanlin at Skinlab in Rochester says it’s a good law, but it’ll hurt business.

“We probably get eight to ten minors with their parents each week,” says Vanlin.

And another concern is safety, as minors may try to get around the law, and get a tattoo the wrong way.

“We will definitely see an increase in people coming in with homemade tattoos,” says Vanlin.

“A lot of these kids will continue to get tattooed but they’ll just do it outside of a professional shop and they’ll just do it in someone’s kitchen or basement,” says Grover.

Still, these artists are on board, ready for the new law July 1st.

The new law also requires tattoo artists and businesses to carry state licenses by January 1st.

Thanks KAALTV

A three-year legal battle has ended in a settlement, making way for Tom and Elizabeth Preston to open a tattoo studio in Tempe. The effort was derailed in 2007 when residents complained the business would hurt neighborhood-revitalization efforts and lower their property values.

Tom Preston said he and his wife got news of the settlement Thursday.

“We’re super excited. Oh my gosh, we finally get to open,” he said.

The settlement includes an agreement that Tempe will not appeal a Maricopa County Superior Court ruling that required the city to reinstate the Prestons’ business-operating permit. Also, the Goldwater Institute, which represents the Prestons, will not sue Tempe for damages of lost investments and wages.

The Prestons also agreed to not place neon signs in the window and to apply for a new permit if they sell a certain percentage of their business to a partner.

Tempe City Councilman Joel Navarrosaid he is pleased with the compromise.

“It works for both parties so I think it’s a great win for everybody,” he said.

The Tempe City Council sided with residents in 2007, choosing not to grant the Prestons their operating permit and overturning a hearing officer and development review board’s recommendations. The council said it was protecting the interests of residents to guard their property values.

The conservative Goldwater Institute asked the Prestons if it could take their case. The institute saw the city’s decision as an affront to small businesses.

Clint Bolick, the institute attorney who represented the Prestons, said Thursday that he hoped Arizona cities would look to the Prestons’ case and think twice about standing in the way of a legal business.

“This is the ultimate David-versus-Goliath story,” Bolick said. “The city of Tempe acted in a . . . heavy-handed manner to keep a legitimate business out of a strip mall that has lots of vacancies. When the Prestons move in, it will be a signal that the little guy has rights, too.”

Preston considers the settlement an opportunity to show Tempe neighbors who fought his permit that the tattoo industry is an upstanding trade.

“This shows you can’t just shut down a business because you don’t like it. We want to show people what we’ve already done in Mesa, that our studio is a place where police officers and working people come for tattoos because it’s safe,” he said. “All kinds of people have tattoos; we’re not going to bring any (negative) effects to the neighborhood.”

The Prestons own Virtual Reality Tattoos in Mesa.

Preston has spoken to the leasing company about opening Body Accents Tattoo and Piercing Studio at the strip mall near Scottsdale and McKellips roads where he had originally planned to open.

The Prestons hope to open their Tempe studio by August 1. They are planning a grand-opening party.

On tap for the party is the only tattoo Goldwater attorney Bolick plans to get in his lifetime. Bolick said he would celebrate the studio’s long-awaited opening by getting a scorpion inked on the finger he uses to type legal briefs

“This will finally be over when the Prestons open and I get my tattoo,” Bolick laughed.

“He’s going to be our first tattoo,” Preston said. “I keep thinking about our first lawyer who told us to not to fight the city’s decision to refuse our permit because it would cost too much and we had no way of winning. We’re just so thankful to Goldwater . . . without them we would’ve given up.”

Thanks AZCentral

Elkhart, IN–  Mark Miller is giving back to an organization that helped him and his kids through tough times.

Miller says he’s always been an artist. While a painting or sketch can be shoved away in a drawer, he prefers his work to last a little longer. The same you could say is true about his community service.

“If you pass the unemployment line, they’re standing clear out to the road,” Mark Miller said.

The Tattoo Shop is actually donating every penny it makes Sunday to Church Community Services. Inside there’s a food pantry, where every single day 150 families come to get food and other necessities.

“That is just so incredibly wonderful, I can’t, I was almost in tears,” Dean Preheim-Bartel from Church Community Services said.

“And I said, ‘Why would you do this?’ And then he told us of his own story,” Preheim-Bartel added.

“Me personally, yeah I’ve used them before. It’s been awhile, but yeah, I’ve most definitely used them,” Miller said.

If you think getting a tattoo is painful, ask those without a steady income and they say being hungry hurts even more.

“With the economy and everything, more people are in need than ever before and this just kind of helps that along,” Don Azzarito said.

So now that Mark has bounced back into business, he hasn’t forgotten who helped him get there.

“I personally will be able to sleep a lot better tonight knowing that there’s a lot of families out there that have gas and have electric and have food on their table,” Miller said.

“It makes me feel great to know I’ll be helping the families of our community right here,” Miller added.

Church Community Services not only provides food for the needy, but helps with electric and gas bills. The organization also hosts training classes for people out of work.

Thanks WNDU

Reporting from Phnom Sruoch, Cambodia

Peace has not been kind to practitioners of the 2,000-year-old tradition, which holds that magic tattoos can make you invisible, divert bullets and boost your net worth.

In a haze of incense, clients approach Kol Sambo and humbly request his help, sometimes seeking rush jobs for an imminent crisis. He listens and asks why they require added force. If he thinks they’ll abuse the power, he turns them down “in a nice way.”

Kol is a practitioner of magic tattoos, a 2,000-year-old tradition some call the “soul of the nation.” They can make you invisible, divert bullets and boost your net worth, he says, but only if you believe.

The 50-year-old has traveled the Cambodian countryside for the better part of two decades decorating people’s bodies with gods, geometric patterns, supernatural creatures and characters in Sanskrit and Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.

Some images appear to move as the wearer’s muscles ripple; on others, rounded Khmer script, softened by age, appears to melt as the lines grow fuzzier.

Kol says most clients prefer the more efficient made-in-China tattoo machine he bought a few years back, but, if asked, he still will use the traditional method to ink the skin: two or three sewing needles tied together.

Once applied, by whatever method, a tattoo must be blessed to activate its supernatural powers.
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