I believe I mentioned in Monday’s Mr. Softee post that I’d toiled for four summers as a soft-serve technician for the Dairy Queen. The hours were horrid, the pay was insulting, but the Blizzards were free — or at least one per 8-hour shift was free. Now, a politician in Michigan wants to rid food-service employees throughout his state of the benefit of free lunches.

State Rep. Mark Meadows from East Lansing has introduced a bill that would charge tax on any free grub for employees of restaurants and food establishments.

If the bill passes, employees would start having to pay tax as early as Oct. 1.

A state representative who opposes the bill pointed out that the state spends millions subsidizing Hollywood studio films made in Michigan and thinks it’s hypocritical to look for a revenue source from the food-service industry:

The idea of taxing teens who work at Taco Bell to pay for Michael Moore’s fat-cat meals is no way to solve Michigan’s problems… All the problems in this state, and the Democrats think this is going to solve our problems?

No Free Lunch: ‘Taxing Teens at Taco Bell’ [MichiganCapitolConfidential.com]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.