The best tax policy, as they say, is the one that doesn't tax you but somebody else which is why the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and Pistons will turn their attention from winning games to winning a yet to be fought battle in Lansing.

     With the word that the governor has re-dredged up slapping the six-percent sales tax on sporting events, movie and concert tickets, the entertainment industry will move into high gear to kill the idea before it multiplies.

     This is not the first time this has surfaced. Former Oakland County Senator and then senate budget chair Shirley Johnson floated the idea ions ago and when they counted the votes, it was entertainment industry: One and Ms. Johnson: Zippo.

     But that was back when the state was not on the brink of drowning in red ink.  Now economic condition are worse, if you can imagine that, and the governor, who has refused to even admit that she is=2 0pushing the idea, is hoping the "fairness" issue will trump the intense lobbying from the sport's barons.

     It's only fair, the reasoning goes, that if you can afford to watch the Tigers lose, you can afford an extra three bucks on a fifty-dollar ticket.

     But the other side doesn't give a hoot about fairness.  You can hear the Ilitch family and their allies:  We are having a tough time as it is putting fannies in the seats and now they want to make it even tougher?

     The new tax would raise about $87 million for other state services such as the cop patrols around the stadia, the food inspection of the hot dogs they sell, and other related services.

     Somebody has to pay for this stuff, but there aren't many volunteers when it comes to paying more money.

     The governor also wants a new one penny tax on bottled water and betya the bottled H20 crowd won't like that either.

     Too bad she can't tax oxygen.  Then everybody would be upset with her tax policies not just a few special interests.