Wesley Snipes has filed a request in federal court for permission to leave the country for two trips while his appeal on tax evasion charges is being considered.
Snipes has requested to go to London to sit in on the editing process for his new horror flick Gallowwalker.
Snipes has also requested permission to fly to Bangkok to film the action thriller Chasing the Dragon. Production is set to begin on that film in early September and last about 8 weeks.
Snipes had been scheduled to report to federal prison on June 3 to serve a three year sentence for failing to file tax returns but is free on bail pending an appeal.
Snipes’ attorneys argued for the request, claiming:
He has never presented and does not currently present a risk of flight. Further, the circumstances of the work, surrounded by a cast of other actors and film and production professionals as well as Mr. Snipes’ contractual obligations to complete these films provide additional assurances that he does not present a risk of flight; were he to abscond under these circumstances, it would destroy his ability to earn a living for the rest if his life. Mr. Snipes will of course voluntarily return after his work on this film, as he has done each time he has been granted permission by this Court.
It is essential that Mr. Snipes complete these two projects to satisfy his civil tax liabilities and provide for his family.
I would agree that in most cases, it’s better to have a taxpayer who is working than one who is not. However, Snipes hasn’t exactly been cooperative with respect to his arrest and his trial. He initially refused to return to the US from Namibia to face charges of tax evasion though he claims that his attorneys told him that they were working it out. Nonetheless, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he responded by comparing himself to a rape victim.
My best guess is that his request will be granted. Of course, I’ve been wrong a couple of times thus far with respect to this Snipes case. The twists and turns have kept it interesting at best…
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Last year, the Mayor of London outlined a plan for London’s LEZ (Low Emissions Zone). The plan was derived after a study showing that the City of London has the worst air pollution in the UK and is among the worst in Europe.
This month, almost all of London will become a LEZ. The LEZ is a specified area where the most polluting diesel engined trucks, buses, coaches, large vans and minibuses will be required to meet specific emissions targets or pay a tariff/tax. The LEZ does not apply to cars or motorcycles.
How steep is the tariff? £200 (sadly, that translates these days to almost $400 US)
The measure will be enforced using cameras that will read license plates in the LEZ and check them against a database of registered vehicles that meet the emissions standards, have paid a daily charge, or are exempt. Those who are not in the database will have to pay the tariff.
While many are cheering the measure as a step forward, London Conservative mayoral candidate, Boris Johnson, has described the scheme as “the most punitive, draconian fining regime in the whole of Europe.”
What do you think? Would you like to see this scheme in more cities? Or a variation on this scheme? Many cities, such as Singapore, have similarly themed schemes to control congestion.
In 2005, when London adopted a “congestion tax”, traffic flow improved, congested dropped 30% and emissions were lowered. The Mayor of London told a group of American mayors, “We are the only city in the Western world where there’s a notable shift from car use to public transport. This is the only thing I’ve done in my political life that turned out better than I hoped.” Drivers who enter central London must buy daily, weekly or yearly passes and register their license plate numbers. License plates within the zone are noted, and motorists who have not paid the fee are fined. The fines are only imposed during work hours.
Would this work anywhere else?
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