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Soda tax could close states' budget gaps, health advocacy group says
LA Times ^ | 10/2/09 | Jery Herch

Posted on 10/02/2009 9:54:43 PM PDT by pissant

The Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that many states might be able to close gaps in their budgets by placing a tax on soda and other sugary drinks.

The health advocacy group released a study this week that estimates budget-strapped states -- including California -- could generate a combined $10 billion a year by levying a tax of 7 cents per 12-ounce can of Coke or other beverage. Currently, 25 states impose special taxes on sugary drinks.

The group, which is lobbying for such taxes and has suggested a national excise tax on sugared drinks, said raising the price of the beverages would reduce consumption. It believes that would lower the incidence of obesity, diabetes and other costly chronic diseases.

But others see such taxes as government intrusion on personal choice.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: foodpolice; sintax; taxes; taxincrease
Commies
1 posted on 10/02/2009 9:54:43 PM PDT by pissant
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To: pissant

lol. Taxes on “sugary drinks.” It sounds like something out of Monty Python. We used to joke about stuff like this. Now they do it. There is a dark cloud hanging over us. I believe Providence is pissed off at us, and we probably deserve it.


2 posted on 10/02/2009 9:57:06 PM PDT by Huck ("He that lives on hope will die fasting"- Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)
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To: pissant

Well, if closing the budget gap is all that is the standard, why doesn’t California invade Oregon and Nevada? I’m sure off the pillaging, slave taking, and conquest they could close that gap in no time.


3 posted on 10/02/2009 9:58:56 PM PDT by IrishCatholic (No local Communist or Socialist Party Chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing!)
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To: pissant
Soda tax could close states' budget gaps, health advocacy group says

If only we could institute a tax on ideas to raise taxes, we'd never have a shortage of money again.

4 posted on 10/02/2009 10:03:18 PM PDT by RJL
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To: Huck
it will not close any gap....even if they tax diet sodas, which they probably will, people like me will just quit....

of course, there's lots of sugary drinks that are "in"...the Sobe's, etc....even Red bull...

they start taxing one sugary drink they have to tax them all....

and actually, juice drinks have tons of sugar in them...

5 posted on 10/02/2009 10:04:00 PM PDT by cherry
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To: Huck

Those who deserve it, deserve it. There is great “Wake Up” on the way.


6 posted on 10/02/2009 10:06:53 PM PDT by unkus
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To: pissant
The Center for Science in the Public Interest

...Has nothing whatsoever to do with real science or the public interest.

7 posted on 10/02/2009 10:07:27 PM PDT by LibFreeOrDie (Obama promised a gold mine, but will give us the shaft.)
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To: pissant

I don’t drink soda, so taxing it is fine with me.

Let’s tax soda like we have taxed other things in the past, shall we?


8 posted on 10/02/2009 10:10:34 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: Huck

Watch for a water and plastic tax next; I’m not kidding.


9 posted on 10/02/2009 10:12:29 PM PDT by Loud Mime (The windshield wiper president - back and forth, back and forth on the teleprompter.)
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To: Loud Mime

How do we let them get away with it??


10 posted on 10/02/2009 10:13:18 PM PDT by Huck ("He that lives on hope will die fasting"- Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)
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To: pissant
Everyone is drinking water or alcohol, there's no pop in schools and I don't see a whole hellofalot of pop being purchased in the grocery store.

Wag the Dog.

11 posted on 10/02/2009 10:14:05 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: unkus

Well, we all get to take the ride.


12 posted on 10/02/2009 10:14:05 PM PDT by Huck ("He that lives on hope will die fasting"- Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)
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To: Huck

By not speaking up, that’s how.

You didn’t speak up when they taxed other things, because it was alright with you (and I don’t mean you personally).


13 posted on 10/02/2009 10:17:09 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: Huck

Whatta you mean ...”Well, we all to take the ride.”


14 posted on 10/02/2009 10:19:23 PM PDT by unkus
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To: pissant

“...believes that many states might be able to close gaps in their budgets by placing a tax on soda.”
“...raising the price of the beverages would reduce consumption.”

And there you have a prime example of doubletalk. Oddly enough, I’ll wager dime to doughnuts, whoever wrote this doesn’t even see how nonsensical this is. It can’t be both.
Jeez, libs R dum.


15 posted on 10/02/2009 10:21:58 PM PDT by ozark hilljilly (Ignore us at your peril.)
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To: pissant

Drive to the state closest to you and buy there ....


16 posted on 10/02/2009 10:25:05 PM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: pissant

So could a tax on “advocates”/useless jerks.


17 posted on 10/02/2009 10:25:14 PM PDT by Psycho_Bunny (ALSO SPRACH ZEROTHUSTRA)
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To: pissant

Then can always tax tax - like here in Washington you have to pay a fee to pay your taxes ... i.e your car registration.


18 posted on 10/02/2009 10:26:12 PM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: pissant

I thought this tax had already been enacted and switched to water a year 6 months ago.


19 posted on 10/02/2009 10:27:09 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: unkus

I mean the bad apples spoil the whole barrel. We all have to live with the consequences, whether we personally needed the lesson or not. Why? Because so many of our fellow Americans are idiots.


20 posted on 10/02/2009 10:29:22 PM PDT by Huck ("He that lives on hope will die fasting"- Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)
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To: RJL

Wasn’t that in the Sunday comics last week? LOL, Dilbert. (It wasn’t taxes, rather something about procedures. Same concept, though.)


21 posted on 10/02/2009 10:36:06 PM PDT by Peanut Gallery (The essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government.)
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To: IrishCatholic
why doesn’t California invade Oregon and Nevada?

I thought we have been doing this on an ongoing basis. (With trailers and moving vans.)

.

22 posted on 10/02/2009 10:36:19 PM PDT by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except to convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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To: pissant

I thought the Beer tax,

The tobacco tax,

the internet tax,

the plastic bag tax,

the water tax,

the working in our state tax,

the auto tax,

the gas tax,

the income tax,

the payroll tax,

the property tax,

was supposed to close all the budget short falls.

But I believe you - one more fat tax will fix it. :)


23 posted on 10/02/2009 10:50:34 PM PDT by Tzimisce (No thanks. We have enough government already. - The Tick)
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To: pissant

At first they taxed imports.

Then they taxed our incomes.

Then states joined in, and they taxed our incomes too.

Sales taxes were enacted.

Property taxes were enacted.

Surviving Children saw their inheritance taxed.

Vehicle and other fees were enacted.

State and Federal parks that had always been free, suddenly cost money to enter. Who cares if the public owns the damned things.

Plastic container fees were implemented. Glass bottle fees were too.

Cigarettes were heavily taxed, then taxed again, and again.

Taxes were levied on gasoline. These fund were going to be used to assure roads that were used by cars, would always be taken care of.

Then gasoline taxes were raided to build mass transit.

Once the gas taxes were raided, the government didn’t have money to fix roads. And so the car owners were told, “If you want to use your car, you need to pay tolls on top of the gas taxes. After all, you use the roads.”

Then they tried to tell us that more efficient cars cut the gas tax revenues. For some reason they didn’t mention that there are exponentially more cars on the road today, all of them paying gas taxes, so even though they may be more efficient, each of them uses gas that is taxed heavily. The revenues ARE NOT down.

Then they began to install toll roads. They’ve had toll bridges and toll roads for decades, but now they want to toll all of our freeways. In Southern California the plan is to be implemented next year. If you use a freeway that you and your parents and all your relatives and all your fellow citizens own and have paid gas taxes out the kazoo for, you’ll now get to pay double and tripple for those roadways.

Now don’t get too conerned when you pay these taxes, because it will be stipulated that the taxes will go to keep the roads up. You know, just like the gas taxes you pay today were promised to only go for road upkeep.

So when the new toll funds get raided to build more mass transit, just take it in stride. The state needs the money more than you do.

And then there’s the cell phone fees. Remember when cell phones first came out and there was a premium on them. Remember the reason? Why it was to help build infrastructure. And after than infrastructure was built, we were assured the rates would drop significantly. Remember that? Remember when your rates dropped? What, you don’t remember that? Well, nobody does, because those rates never dropped. The big carriers are charging the same rates today that they charged in the early 90s.

Cell phones, house phones, computer lines, they’re all taxed. You can look at the list of from ten to twenty different taxes and fees that are levied on them. The state knows you have a big heart, so they steal your money and give it to others, you big sill dope.

Of course your regular bill doesn’t cover all those special things you need to be taxed for or have special fees levied for. You’re the sugar daddy. Those other folks are just the poor people who are still charging those start-up fees.

Now they want to tax soda.

Tomorrow they’ll want to take something else. And you’ve got the money. You’re rich. Remember, when they raise taxes it’s only on the rich. And somehow even though you’re barely making ends meet, your taxes go up constantly.

Congrats on being so rich. Aren’t you the lucky one.


24 posted on 10/02/2009 10:54:50 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Deficit spending, trade deficits, unsecure mortages, worthless paper... ... not a problem. Oh yeah?)
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To: pissant

So we’re going to tax sodas and put thousands out of work to “close states’ budget gaps”? These commie piggies need their asses kicked and then thrown into prison.


25 posted on 10/02/2009 10:55:45 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (I don't remember Americans being called "racists" when we fought against Hillarycare.)
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To: pissant

Oh gosh I think I will hop on the next train to leave ca .I’m sick an tired of these people at Sacramento making our lives harder to live in ca :(


26 posted on 10/02/2009 10:56:15 PM PDT by lmarie373 (*These little guys might look cute and cuddly, but trust us: they will kill you.-on emanuel brothers)
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To: Huck

Yep,


27 posted on 10/02/2009 11:03:03 PM PDT by unkus
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To: pissant
I have used CO2 cartridges to make my own soda. I suppose they'll eventually tax CO2. On second thought, the Tax and Trade may well do that too.

Someday they will implant devices that will notify the government what we take into our body. I guess we'll bend over and take it when that happens too.

28 posted on 10/02/2009 11:07:41 PM PDT by jonrick46 (The Obama Administration is a blueprint for Fabian Socialism.)
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To: pissant

Tax health advocacy groups. That’ll close the gap—between their ears.


29 posted on 10/02/2009 11:12:07 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper
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To: pissant
Democrat Tax, Liberal Tax, Illegal Alien Tax, Prius Tax, Air America Tax, CBS=NBC=ABC=CNN=MSNNBC Tax, Friends of Barack Obama Tax...

I've got a million of them.

30 posted on 10/02/2009 11:15:34 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Conservatives THINK people are smart. Liberals KNOW people are stupid.)
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To: pissant
The Beatles had it figured out back in the 60’s when they recorded Taxman. And to think we laughed at the lyrics.
31 posted on 10/02/2009 11:19:20 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Conservatives THINK people are smart. Liberals KNOW people are stupid.)
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To: GOP_Lady

“I don’t drink soda, so taxing it is fine with me.

Let’s tax soda like we have taxed other things in the past, shall we?”

I don’t drink coffee so that should be taxed or maybe a tea tax, that worked out pretty good last time. Or better yet how about a tax on consumables? Sure we already pay a sales tax but an extra consumable tax would balance all sorts of spending sprees.


32 posted on 10/02/2009 11:33:21 PM PDT by repubpub
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To: pissant

There should be a “Liar Tax” and a “Bush’s Fault” tax on any democrat who remarks, “Bush’s Fault.”


33 posted on 10/02/2009 11:37:12 PM PDT by Cobra64
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To: pissant
Washington just sucks money......ours.......Lets lay off 1/2 of congress and of the one's left, lay off 2/3 of their bloated staff than doesn't even read the 1000 page laws they passed....Also lay off 1/2 of all government union workers that do nothing....and that goes for every one of the 57 states also...

There would be lots of money for the necessities. Sell at least 1/2 of all government buildings that pay no taxes to a company that would pay taxes on them....

Hell, I could solve the money problems in Washington real quick.....and I just started to name the cuts...

God passed all the laws needed on 2 tablets of stone...

34 posted on 10/02/2009 11:59:11 PM PDT by goat granny
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To: GOP_Lady
Yeah! You satire prompts more of the same: let them tax those who are addicted to that vice soda drinking. And also tax those who drink that yucky tea. I hate tea and it's OK fine that they tax everyone else as long as they don't tax me. /sarc.

Tax tea? Didn't they do that 242 years ago (Townsend Acts of 1767)?

The Tax-O-Crats use the Anybody But Me thinking to take us all down the road to tax serfdom. Is it time to dress up like Indians?

At the same time government nannystaters are pointing their fingers at us underlings and telling us we are fat piggies. They do it while they continue to grow their huge bloated money grubbing carcass of autocracy.

35 posted on 10/03/2009 12:02:15 AM PDT by jonrick46 (The Obama Administration is a blueprint for Fabian Socialism.)
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To: Seaplaner

Those aren’t invaders, those are refugees.


36 posted on 10/03/2009 12:17:51 AM PDT by IrishCatholic (No local Communist or Socialist Party Chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing!)
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To: pissant

Only if there’s a Starbucks Tax first!


37 posted on 10/03/2009 12:26:04 AM PDT by petitfour (Are you a Dead Fish American?)
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To: pissant

Just like cash for clunkers helped Gubmint Motors.

Just like state lotteries have helped pay for “education”.


38 posted on 10/03/2009 12:31:19 AM PDT by Nahanni
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To: pissant

Politicians are seriously brain damaged. Taxing soda will reduce consumption; therefore, their revenue projections are garbage. It won’t solve anything but impose more burdens on people. Stock up now before the price increase.


39 posted on 10/03/2009 2:30:38 AM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners)
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To: NTHockey
Soda tax will close the gap huh? So soda taxes will even make people healthier too. Well that opens up a million new doors to impose taxes. Just for fun so we can improve peoples health lets tax a few more items. Lets start with taxes on the following

homosexuals They die early but have cost the country Billions

lesbians Since if all women were lesbians no great inventors would be able to be born

transvestites

ahhh oh gee talk about a mentally disturbed group

how about lesbian transvestites in open relationships that call Jerry Springer please errr can that happen HA HA HA That's a joke like the ones above are....

running shoes since people that run have some many more knee injuries than most

work boots since a ton of construction works die or get injuries each year

an office workers tax since most office people sit all day and most do not exercise enough

an exercise tax too since thousands are injured or maimed while using exercise equipment

OK, i was just kidding so do not get yer panties in a bunch but here is the only tax i could ever consider

a tax on politicians that would fluctuate and it would depend on unemployment, inflation, misery index, war and deaths from war. It would set their tax rate so that their wages would essentially go down as the items listed go up. And if it ends up so high then they would have to pay to work. Hell by the time Obamma, Pelosi and Ried are done they may owe the USA.

40 posted on 10/03/2009 3:45:12 AM PDT by Plumberman27
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To: pissant

This sounds like a pie-in-the-sky idea to apply yet another governmental control to deny people the freedom of choice.


41 posted on 10/03/2009 4:40:47 AM PDT by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: DoughtyOne
Excellent post that rings a tone similar to those voices of liberty calling for freedom in 1776. Taxation without proper representation was one of their battle cries. We are fast approaching a breaking point in this country where excess taxes enacted by our “representatives” who do not intend to represent us are becoming intolerable. It's past time for someone to stand up and say “ENOUGH!” I think we may soon witness history making speeches and events that our grandchildren will be reading about in their history lessons.
42 posted on 10/03/2009 5:16:45 AM PDT by TexasPL
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To: pissant

This will close nothing. Ohio has high taxes and alcohol and cigarettes. Here in Cincinnati, we simply drive over the bridge to Kentucky to load up on booze and smokes because they do not have confiscatory taxes. We’ll just add soda to the shopping list.


43 posted on 10/03/2009 5:53:56 AM PDT by Buckeye Battle Cry (Enjoy nature - eat meat, wear fur and drive your car!)
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To: TexasPL

Thank you.

The government in California needs to be tossed out on it’s ear. They deserve jail time, but I’d be satisfied to just see them fired.


44 posted on 10/03/2009 9:03:42 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Deficit spending, trade deficits, unsecure mortages, worthless paper... ... not a problem. Oh yeah?)
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To: pissant

Don’t know if anyone has mentioned this fact or not but those on food stamps don’t pay any tax on food. That would include stuff like soda.


45 posted on 10/03/2009 10:16:14 AM PDT by Bluebeard16
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To: Bluebeard16

Gee, guess they’ll have to give it up as well.


46 posted on 10/03/2009 10:37:41 AM PDT by oldteen
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To: Loud Mime

Too late.

“Groundbreaking Bottled Water Tax Raises Dustup in Chicago
Author photo Written by Jason Phillip
Published on January 8th, 2008
32 Comments
Posted in Lifestyle

Water bottles. In 2007, the image of bottled water in the public consciousness underwent a huge shift. What had been largely seen as a healthy lifestyle choice had, in just a matter of months, become recognized by many consumers as an eco-sin. (Click here for a Green Options post detailing the ways bottled water is costly, wasteful, and bad for public health.) Now, a controversial new eco-sin tax, the first of its kind, has shined an even bigger spotlight on the ubiquitous bottled water.


47 posted on 10/03/2009 10:40:37 AM PDT by Kozak (USA 7/4/1776 to 1/20/2009 Reqiescat in Pace)
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To: oldteen

No they won’t. It is considered “food”. You can buy candy, bubble gum, even red bull with food stamps and anything you buy is not taxed.


48 posted on 10/03/2009 10:44:52 AM PDT by Bluebeard16
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To: Bluebeard16

I realize what they can and can’t buy with food stamps. Either they quit buying or they will have to pay out of their cash (like their alcohol and cigarettes). No taxable items are allowed. If soda becomes taxed it too will become a no-no.


49 posted on 10/03/2009 11:30:45 AM PDT by oldteen
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To: GOP_Lady
By not speaking up, that’s how.

You didn’t speak up when they taxed other things, because it was alright with you (and I don’t mean you personally).


Yep. Ask a smoker.
50 posted on 10/03/2009 11:33:55 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (30-year smoker, E-Cigs helped me quit, and O wants me back smoking again?)
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