Soda/Obesity Tax?

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I'm sure many have come up with it since it's been talked about for years. From the news reports Gov Patterson is leading the charge. He's also leading his way out of office for other reasons.

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

IMHO - no bill is actually proposing this, unless your state is taking it's own actions. Oregon already does the refundable $.05, that goes to the soda company if you don't return the can, not our schools, hospitals, or anything for us. Yea really green Oregon.

But they also aren't proposing to tax something you and your family can't live without. You won't be missing much without Coke or Diet Coke at every meal. You'd miss out on a whole lot more in life if they started taxing milk, cheese, eggs, veggies, flour, etc. A tax on soda makes it more of a luxury so people will think twice before buying it, at least sometimes.

Did you know that the corrosive nature of soda plus the sugar is attributed to the exponential growth of cavities in children under 8? Cut out soda from your children's life and you will save both in taxes and dental work, isn't their smile worth saving?

My question for taxing "fast food" is this. You have to define what it is and what it isn't, would it be a restaurant tax? Would convenience stores be included? Or would it be those with over 15 stores in 1 state like Oregon's requirement for nutrition labels (only if you have 15 chains in Oregon do you you have to - does not good if you like the small places and still have q's about what your eating). I think a pop tax is still a tax on fast food because not many people drink milk with their super-duper-ultra-special-happy meals. Remember the good old days when going out to eat was a luxury in itself, now it's just a habit, the easy way, and cheaper sometimes than making a healthy meal at home. hhh...

 

[wombat]

Cigs went up to $8 a pack here on 10/1. Half of my smoker friends are rolling their own now.
The sad thing is most smokers want to quit but we all know how hard that can be. This won't help them quit. It just makes the financial burden harder which results in more stress and even less chance of quitting.

The really sad thing is that people are having a hard time paying their mortgage or rent, or feeding their families, but they've got two pack-a-day adults in the household shelling out about $56 a week each, or $448 a month to smoke.​

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

My Little Sister's Farm :

IMHO - no bill is actually proposing this, unless your state is taking it's own actions. Oregon already does the refundable $.05, that goes to the soda company if you don't return the can, not our schools, hospitals, or anything for us. Yea really green Oregon.

But they also aren't proposing to tax something you and your family can't live without. You won't be missing much without Coke or Diet Coke at every meal. You'd miss out on a whole lot more in life if they started taxing milk, cheese, eggs, veggies, flour, etc. A tax on soda makes it more of a luxury so people will think twice before buying it, at least sometimes.

Did you know that the corrosive nature of soda plus the sugar is attributed to the exponential growth of cavities in children under 8? Cut out soda from your children's life and you will save both in taxes and dental work, isn't their smile worth saving?

My question for taxing "fast food" is this. You have to define what it is and what it isn't, would it be a restaurant tax? Would convenience stores be included? Or would it be those with over 15 stores in 1 state like Oregon's requirement for nutrition labels (only if you have 15 chains in Oregon do you you have to - does not good if you like the small places and still have q's about what your eating). I think a pop tax is still a tax on fast food because not many people drink milk with their super-duper-ultra-special-happy meals. Remember the good old days when going out to eat was a luxury in itself, now it's just a habit, the easy way, and cheaper sometimes than making a healthy meal at home. hhh...

Good points!​

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Most fast food restaurants already have tax - McDonalds, etc... charge tax because it is cooked food - if it is "fast food" as in a mini mart burrito that you stick in a microwave, it isn't taxed.

meri

 

[wombat]

IMHO - no bill is actually proposing this, unless your state is taking it's own actions. Oregon already does the refundable $.05, that goes to the soda company if you don't return the can, not our schools, hospitals, or anything for us. Yea really green Oregon.

They charge the soda company $.05 for putting the can out there. They charge you that $.05 when you buy the soda. If you bring back the can, you get back your $.05, and the soda company get's back their nickel. If you don't bring back the can, nobody gets anything back and the state gets the money for having to pick up after you.

If that nickel went to your schools and hospitals, then they'd be taxing the soda company to fund those things, and that extra nickel would get passed on to you anyway.​

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Mojo Chick'n :

Most fast food restaurants already have tax - McDonalds, etc... charge tax because it is cooked food - if it is "fast food" as in a mini mart burrito that you stick in a microwave, it isn't taxed.

meri

McDonalds has an "Eat-In" tax. If you get it to go, then they don't charge you. Look at your receipts and compare them. If I eat in, I'll say it's to go = no extra taxation.​

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

What is to stop them from taxing the "healthy food" if this goes through? Where will it end? I don't know, and I imagine even the ones pushing the bills through don't know - they'll probaby keep going as far as they can push it.

this is nothing more than punishing lifestyle choices because "someone else" knows what is best for you.

meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
McDonalds has an "Eat-In" tax. If you get it to go, then they don't charge you. Look at your receipts and compare them. If I eat in, I'll say it's to go = no extra taxation.

if I go through the drive thru I get taxed (definately a "to go" type of situation) - maybe it is different in each state.

meri

 

[b.hromada]

I think there are other things to tax other than soda! Who comes up with this stuff anyway?!!