Uffizi chief proposes street-food tax

(ANSA) - FLORENCE, JUL 1 - Uffizi Gallery Director Eike Schmidt has proposed a tax on street-food vendors in Italy's art cities because of the cost of cleaning up the streets after such food is eaten.
    "It would be right to introduce an added tax for street-food outlets, or those who do not offer their customers space or tables but force them to eat in the street," the German-born director told the QN daily Wednesday.
    "People who eat in the street cause costs for the community because the streets must then be cleaned of the panini oil", he said.
    "We see this at the Uffizi at least twice a day.
    "That's why I beleive that those who sell food without offering the possibility of sitting down should pay a tax so that the community can then use it to clean the city." Schmidt likened this to the surtax on tobacco products to help pay for the extra costs to the health system due to greater pressure on cancer wards.
    He also said a panini tax would help offset the costs gap between those who offer seated service and those who don't.
    Schmidt added: "Panini oil and ketchup aren't good for old stones. You have to clean them up immediately, otherwise they seep inside and stain them.
    "We have to clean up continually. We deal with the Uffizi loggia and the city council handles the piazzale, which is in even worse state". (ANSA).