Nevada- [www.kvbc.com]- A line of work that’s been around since Nevada’s early days could be called on to help our budget mess. State Senator Bob Coffin of Las Vegas wants to tax prostitution. Coffin’s plan calls for taxing both legal and illegal prostitution.

It’s unclear how Senator Coffin intends to tax illegal activity since it first needs to be proven to exist. Some say those so-called “escort flyers” you see around town are really just ads for prostitution, but the companies deny this. On the other hand, legal brothels in Nevada seem to welcome the idea of a tax.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and everyone knows sex sells. That seems to be the attitude with some in the Nevada legislature – specifically Senator Bob Coffin. This week, the Democratic lawmaker announced he’ll propose a bill to tax prostitutes $5.00 per act. Coffin says it’s been discussed for years, but “people weren’t willing to get their hands dirty.”

The measure is also surprisingly supported by the brothel industry. News 3 spoke with Bob Fisher, who represents the Chicken Ranch in Pahrump.

“They might as well pay, and everyone should get on board with it and move forward,” says Fisher. “Prostitution period is a fact of life. It’s been here since the dawn of time and it will be here at the sunset of time. If you can’t eliminate something you need to control it. If it’s a legitimate business that, for some weird reason it is here, then tax it.”

Coffin believes the state can generate upwards of $2 million per year from Nevada’s 25 brothels. Of course, the big money would come from illegal prostitution, which some estimate brings in hundreds of millions every year.

In fact, sex does sell. And in Nevada, no one can deny it’s a big business. And if the law does pass, soon the state may be getting its cut.

The reason lawmakers in the past have strayed from the idea is because they don’t want to “legitimize” what so many believe is immoral behavior. Meaning, should we help fun schools, health care, and even law enforcement through prostitution? That’s a debate lawmakers will tackle within the coming weeks.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has been a proponent of regulating prostitution in the past. He has even suggested opening a “red light” district downtown.