Comments on: Soda Tax: I object

By: Dan @ Casual Kitchen

Dan @ Casual Kitchen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:49:02 +0000

I’m usually a fan of “use taxes” like this, because it gives people some measure of freedom to choose to avoid the tax by choosing not to buy the product. However, I just don’t trust NYC or NY State (both are considering a soda tax) to do anything but squander and misuse the proceeds.

Right now both city and state are desparately trying to close budget gaps–so I understand why they’d leap to get their hands on any new revenue source. I just wish they would first consider the more sensible option of eliminating wasteful spending.

Here’s the second issue I have with the soda tax: We really should get rid of corn subsidies. That’s what distorts the prices of high-fructose corn syrup, the primary sweetener used in all sodas. If we eliminated corn subsidies, the price of sweetening agents would increase and thus the natural price of soda would rise too.

It’s beyond stupid to tax both ends of the system–first by giving free money to corn farmers, and then by hammering the consumer with an additional tax on the other end of the supply chain.

Dan
Casual Kitchen

By: TFD

TFD — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:14:39 +0000

I agree that the tax is not a good solution for several reasons. First, the tax money will not be used to deal medical issues arising from eating and drinking different forms of sugar – like diabetes. Second, the heavy sugar users will not be put off by the tax. They have a special need for sugar. Third, a single point of attack (the soda industry) may win a battle, but will not win any war. A broader, national or international attack on different forms of sugar would be difficult but more effective.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:53:12 +0000

“Perhaps we can institute laws that require supermarkets to make a junk food section, with a tollbooth at its entrance and charge $5 per person to enter” …. loved that…

I agree on the need for more nutritional education, and think we should start young with nutrition becoming another primary subject. It’s certainly important enough that we should teach it more… Math class, English class, Nutrition class (not all sugary cookies & brownies like home economics ).. nice article, thanks!

By: R

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:15:43 +0000

the great thing about a soda tax is that if you don’t buy soda, you don’t have to pay. but the costs of law enforcement against vendors and teeangers engaged in illegal coca cola transactions–that we will all pay for.

not to mention, without a tax, what incentive will companies have to clarify their labels? the same one they’ve always had.
and when laws prohibit teenage pepsi sales? none whatsoever.

By: JIm Huck

JIm Huck — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:40:05 +0000

We all see the train coming at us at 1,000 miles per hour: in the next decade, our healthcare system will go completely broke because of poor lifestyle choices and corrupt food producers. What faster way to derail the train than tax the heck out of everything that is promoting metabolic syndrome? This would force food consumers to buy fresh food and force food producers to focus on selling natural foods rather than processed garbage.

It may or may not be a good idea. Hard to say. It certainly would reduce the consumption of sugared drinks. God only knows what people would start consuming to replace the soda.