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Wed 20 Jan, 2010 04:38 pm
@tsarstepan,
The governor of New Mexico is considering this too, last I read. (I only drink coke at other people's houses, so it's ok, eh?)
@ossobuco,
Even if I was a regular soda drink (which I'm not), I actually like this idea for a revenue stream.
I'm in favor of such taxes. It's optional. Most people would be better off drinking less soda anyway - it causes obesity and diabetes. To me it's like money the state earns from people playing lotto- taxes for suckers. Most people don't even notice when they are nickel and dimed, like the deposit on bottles. Plenty of people just toss the bottle, indicating a nickel means nothing to them, so if another nickel is placed into the cost of soda at least it will go to pay the pensions of police officers, or keeping an art teacher employed or fixing some potholes. Drink up NY.
@tsarstepan,
I am sick to death of these damn 'sin taxes'. I am also a bit tired of the government using private business to collect all their little hidden taxes. If they need more revenue, raise taxes and be done with it.
@roger,
In theory you are correct, roger. We should accept the fact that we have to invest in our country and the main way to do it is with taxes. The problem is every politician knows that to be that direct and upfront is the kiss of death. We force them to do the sneaky fund raising.
@tsarstepan,
Ok with me too, even if I still purchased the popular sodas.
@roger,
And who will vote for that? (See California..)
@tsarstepan,
I favor much larger taxes on sugary drinks to compensate for the social costs they have. I think sugary drink calories are hugely responsible for American obesity and this is a significant financial cost to America.
Like other products that carry social consequences (tobacco, drugs) I think taxes should be levied to reimburse society for their societal costs.
Business Week reported on this tax a few months ago, their statistics showing soft drink sales have been in decline for the past decade or so even without a tax.
They also said that obesity rates in two states that do tax soft drinks are among the highest in the nation.
We don't buy soft drinks (empty calories). Leave chocolate alone, though!
@Irishk,
I'll protest the taxation of ice cream and chocolate I tell's ya!
Quote:Bloomberg Says a Soda Tax ‘Makes Sense’
By A. G. SULZBERGER
Published: March 7, 2010
As the battle over the state budget and the looming multibillion-dollar gap becomes more intense, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has stepped up his call for the Legislature to pass a penny-per-ounce tax on soda to stave off major service cuts to education and health care.
During his weekly radio address on Sunday " a day before a symposium on the topic " Mr. Bloomberg noted research suggesting that such a tax would reduce consumption of the sugary drinks, driving down obesity rates and the accompanying medical costs. Yet his main thrust was on finding a quick source of revenue for a city in serious need of one.
For the rest of the story....
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/nyregion/08soda.html
Interesting twist. San Francisco has passed a soda tax.
Voters Overwhelmingly Approved America’s First Soda Tax
http://www.grubstreet.com/2014/11/californias-soda-tax-aproved.html
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