| The Soda Tax |
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| By Mitchell Hargrave | |
| Thursday, 11 March 2010 | |
Brace yourself, America, for the SWeet TEA Party (Seriously, We're Taxed Enough Already) may be planning their next demonstration - laden with benign rage and misused words ending with the suffix "ist". The rest of America will most likely be able to do nothing but stare in awe as cases upon cases of Mountain Dew and Diet Pepsi splash into harbors on both coasts.
Perhaps nothing this extreme will happen, and I'm just painting this mental picture for the humor of it. Maybe I just saw mention of the sugar tax, thought of the whole "SWeet TEA Party" thing and just didn't want a good acronym and pun (not to mention a jab at the irrational TEA Party people) to go to waste. My friends will tell you that's most likely the case. But I also have an opinion on the situation, and would like to hear other's.
Here's how I see it:
I've honestly got no problem with a tax on the sugars in sodas and pizza. But I really don't like the idea of viewing it as a way to fight obesity. Pertinent disclosure: I'm a smoker. I'm a guilt-ridden, I'm-gonna-quit-someday-very-soon smoker. And I've seen the prices of cigarettes almost double since I started around ten years ago. It's a bummer, but I've never pitched a fit about that because smoking is not a necessity (though it may feel like it) and there are serious health risks involved with smoking, both for myself and others who may be exposed to second-hand smoke (which I try to keep to myself). Soda is certainly not a necessity either, though everyone most likely knows someone who has that giant, almost cartoonish mug they bought at the Kwik Shop that they fill sometimes twice a day.
There are definitely risks of things like obesity and diabetes associated with such regular consumption of the sugars found in soda, but my spidey senses (I have those) are tingling and telling me that this is not so much an effort to curb obesity as it is to generate tax revenue. This is fine with me. Tax a luxury like soda in times of economic crisis. Okey dokey. I just don't believe for one second that the increase is some sort of magic solution to obesity in America. There will be soda drinkers with less money in their pocket, but I'm certain they will drink it regardless.
So, as far as I'm concerned, tax on soda - fine. Referring to that tax on soda as the "Obesity Tax" - not so much. Let's be realistic, the tax on soda isn't also going to make anybody go out and exercise, and taxing inactivity hasn't quite been figured out yet.
Didn't your momma teach you to share? Share us.
Users' Comments (1) |
 03-11-2010 20:41, , Registered  However....couldn't agree with you more.... don't actually mind this tax. Don't really see a point in calling them "sin" taxes. My kids' school is suffering. There are probably lots of ways our state government could use the money is has a little more wisely. Meanwhile, I want my kids' wonderful teachers to be paid and for our city services to stay the same..... so, bring on the taxes. 
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