Tough times have hit state governments, and as a result New York's Gov. Paterson plans to put his state's budget on a diet by cutting funding of education and health care. But he's also hoping lean measures can raise money — the governor wants to tax non-diet soda, that he claims will bring in $404 million for the state.
Other revenue-raising ideas include: requiring new license plates, reinstating sales tax on clothing purchases, and requiring Indian retailers to collect taxes on sales to non-Indians. Paterson has to get creative if he wants to reduce the $12.5 billion state budget deficit.
If New York is going to tax soda, should it just go all the way and tax regular and diet?
Diego Dolcini
Cotswold Company
Hanky Panky
Yup, tax em.
I mean honestly, they aren't "food". Why not tax stuff like this as its a luxury item? It seems more sensible than forcing everyone to go get new license plates (WTF)...waste of time, money and metal for everyone whereas fizzy drinks are a voluntary deal.
(Don't tell my boyfriend I said that, he's a Coke-a-holic. He drinks insane amounts of the stuff.)
1Texas already taxes soda. I don't understand the need to tax just the regular and not the diet. If it's a lame attempt at combating obesity, 8 cents doesn't really force people to drink one or the other.
2I say if you're gonna tax it, tax it all.
3Is this an additional tax or is there no tax right now in NY on soda? Anyway, it's not like diet soda is really all that good for you, either.
4I say tax ONLY the people who order a double cheeseburger, Loaded fries....and a diet soda.
5
I agree!
6NO! this is stupid. i don't drink soda, so i'm not saying this as someone who feels like they'd be negatively affected by this... but i still think it's an idiotic proposal. if you're going to tax something and try to "make a point" in doing so, why not do something that actually solves a problem? i don't live in NY - but can someone tell me if they're still not recycling there? if not, why not try a mandatory food waste and traditional recycling program and tax everyone who throws away more than a couple pounds of garbage a week? that way they'd solve two problems at once.
and, CG i like where your line of reasoning! by the way, i spent saturday night with my friend watching all the old cure videos on youtube and i had completely forgotten that caterpillar girl is one of the best videos EVER. watch it again if you haven't lately. SUCH a good song!!
7Why does everyone always want to cut funding to education and healthcare? Those are two pretty major things to be cutting funding to. Surely there are other things that can be cut, like funding for the private jet or something. *sigh*
8yesteryear, I have all their videos on DVD, and listen to them while i clean house!!!
Caterpillargirl is my favorite....such a great song.
9Really? A tax on regular soda? This has to be a joke.
10"Really? A tax on regular soda? This has to be a joke."
I completely agree. Taxing things that certain sectors of society deem unhealthy, unpopular, or politically incorrect seems like the new millenium's form of an Indulgence to me.
I'm feeling particularly fiesty today so I will just add, NY - start running things within your budget and get over yourselves.
I will add that I occasionally drink soda (diet and non-diet), and I am not obese. SHEEESH.
11I don't say tax it because its "unhealthy". I say if you want a revenue stream, tax it, and tax them both - not just the sugary one, because that fake-ass artificially sweetened crap is just as useless to your body as brown sugar water.
12The NYS government needs to really re-evaluate the allocation of funds...money is being filtered into useless policies and departments and being taken from places that could really use it.
That being said, I'm not really sure why the majority of the state needs to "get over themselves."
13Hmm. I don't know how I feel about this. Obviously they need to raise taxes some how, and if they raise generically across the board on something like income tax people would freak. If they raised it on clothes or food in general, that would be taxing necessities. If they raise tax on soda, that is an optional item that people don't need for survival...but it is directed at a certain lifestyle.
I am sure Sak and Neimans are working hard to keep the clothing tax off the table!
14I think this is pretty dumb. If he's going to tax soda, it should be all soda ... not just non-diet soda. Soda in general is not nutritional ... so why differentiate?
What does "requiring Indian retailers to collect taxes on sales to non-Indians" mean? Reservation Indians or Asians?
And I don't support the fact that he's cutting budgets for schools and health care. Both of these are really big issues, especially in the school district I grew up in. I don't approve of him screwing around with something that is already screwed up in most of NY.
15why not just do what California did to us, raise the tax 5 % across the board. Since schwarzeneggar claimed we are in a financial emergency, he can do this without a vote. Pretty lame. I say if we have to live within a confined budget, and cut back in these though times then the state governments need to learn how to do so as well. CUT BACK!!! Raising any tax isn't the answer.
16But if they insist on taxing sodas, they should do both. There are many studies that say that drinking diet colas can actually make you gain weight but they don't know why.
Caterpillar Girl- I get a double cheeseburger chili fries and a diet coke!!!!! But only because regular sodas are too sweet for me... haha
bengal- it's the reservation indians. They don't have to collect any taxes because their land is sovereign and not the us. I don't see how a governor can require them to tax anyone though. That would be like saying another country has to do something because we said so.
17diet soda should be taxed too it's no better than proper soda, it just has more artificial sweeteners which are even worse for you.
18I think this is so stupid.
19I agree-tax both diet and non-diet. I am a healthy eater that drinks regular soda and I don't really get the distinction. Soda is not good for you -diet in fact may actually be worse because it causes people to eat more.
20Sorry poineers - I didn't mean the people who live in New york need to get over themselves, though I can see how it came off that way.
In my opinion, the lawmakers would serve their state better if they spent their time working to stay on budget rather than looking for products that they raise taxes on without too much public outcry.
21yep geebers the best is when they order a big mas with large fries, a deep fried apple turnover adn then ask for a large diet soda
22I think they should tax anything that comes in a bottle. We've been trying to push a bottle bill through the legislature for ages, which would require a deposit on all bottled drinks, not just the "fizzy" ones, and a tax would accomplish basically the same thing- (limiting the amount of plastic crap people buy).
My tuition for my SUNY school went up about 15% this SEMESTER, in the middle of the year. And yes, they do not increase financial aid in the middle of the year...
They have to do something, I'm anticipating an even larger increase for next year. At which point, I'll probably just transfer to a better private school.
23yes, tax both! if anyone wants to know the truth about aspartame, splenda, and diet soda, please check out the best seller "skinny b*tch"
24you would be surprised how toxic they are.
It is taxed here in Canada.
25>There are many studies that say that drinking diet colas can actually make you gain weight but they don't know why.
I have read that! And a theory that it's because when you drink it, your body expects calories, so when they don't come you start getting cravings for food.
And I am totally guilty of the burger and fries with diet coke. I can't even drink regular coke, it's so sweet.
26This post definitely just made me go get a diet coke, by the way.
27Me too, TS! (On both counts...I can't drink regular Coke and I went and grabbed a Diet Coke.)
28I can't believe everyone seems to think it's okay for a giant evil corporation to sell a product they KNOW is harmful!
29Soda in moderation isn't harmful in the same way even an occasional cigarette is. But I see your point.
30yesteryear, New York has had recycling programs in place for as long as I can remember. After growing up in NY and always having to separate out my recyclable stuff, I was stunned when I moved to GA and was expected to throw soda cans in the trash. Ick.
31Why not just ban soda? This is ridiculous.
32I don't follow the leap from taxing something to banning it. I pay sales tax on clothes, and I paid sales tax when I bought my car. Should we ban clothing and cars?
33Pop (I won't call it the "S" word) is already taxed in a lot of states. I see no problem whatsoever with taxing it. I do have a problem with only taxing non-diet, though. Anyway, I would MUCH rather see a tax on things like pop than an income tax increase.
34Yes we do have a recycling program- it is mandatory and you will get fined if they catch paper where plastics should be or cans in the trash.
TS so funny you find regular too sweet. I think diet is too sweet plus the after taste gets to me.
35really? taxing diet soda? uhm... okay...
36Shouldn't we ban cigarettes first?
37Yeah why not ban everything that isn't good for you. Soda/chips/cigarettes/ driving over 65/ extreme sports/coffee/chocolate cake. Take all of the power away from people and into the hands of government.. YAY!
38Oh Hainan....I was just being sarcastic!
39Obviously so was I!
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