A Florida gubernatorial candidate’s proposed 50% tax on OnlyFans creators is facing stiff resistance from the platform’s users, who argue the measure unfairly singles out digital content creation.
OnlyFans star Anya Lacey, featured in a CNN short film released Tuesday, called the tax “silly” and questioned its moral foundation. The 20-year-old creator, who built an audience of over 1 million on Instagram, said the state applies inconsistent standards.
“This state is covered in strip clubs,” Lacey said in the CNN segment. “It’s silly to say, like, ‘Oh, we’re going to have morals now.'”
Lacey Calls Is ‘Selective Enforcement’
The tax, introduced by Republican candidate James Fishback during a January appearance on the conservative podcast NXR Studios, would raise an estimated $200 million for education while, according to Fishback, combating “cultural degeneracy.”
Lacey challenged the selective enforcement. “This isn’t just about me or any one creator,” she stated. “If you want to call something a sin, then be consistent. Tax the alcohol. Tax the tobacco. Tax the strip clubs. You don’t get to pick and choose who gets punished based on your personal beliefs.”
A ‘Sin Tax’?
She expanded on previous comments to the New York Post. “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous, and it’s quite rich in a state where the city, Miami, was literally built off of cocaine money. And he’s calling it a ‘Sin Tax’ right,” she said. “I don’t really understand that, since we could call alcohol a sin, marijuana, strip clubs. Unless he’s ready to put a tax on anything that could be considered a sin, I think his proposal is absolutely ludicrous.”
Though based in Florida, Lacey indicated she could relocate if needed. “I specifically live in Florida because I’m from here, but it’s also an extremely tax-sheltered state … but this wouldn’t affect my income, because I’d just leave.”
Fishback, a hedge fund manager running to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, currently trails frontrunner Rep. Byron Donalds in GOP primary polling.
Creators Labeling The Proposal ‘Insane’
Other creators have registered opposition. Sophie Rain, among the platform’s highest earners, called the proposal “insane” on social media.
Lacey defended her work bluntly. “I love what I do and I’m not going to apologize for it,” she said. “I started on TikTok building Legos. Now I run my own business, pay my own taxes, and answer to nobody. If that bothers someone running for office, that sounds like a him problem.”