As revenue-starved politicians everywhere seek new ways to collect every last available nickel and dime, more and more are turning to soft drink taxes. It’s almost a sort of whack-a-mole game, with a new state or locality creating a new proposal seemingly every week. Fortunately, they’ve met strong resistance at nearly every turn, sparking protests in New York and Kansas. And as Rasmussen Reports declares this morning, 56 percent of Americans reject taxes on soft drinks. Today, we’re adding our own thoughts to the debate in Kansas, as we talk to Wichita Eagle about how taxes on sugary drinks don't improve anyone's health:
read more here »Momentum Builds Against Soda Taxes (Thursday, 3/18/2010)
Kansas legislators found out yesterday that taxing soda is not the easy, controversy-free way to raise revenue they probably thought it would be. Hundreds of soft-drink bottlers, convenience store owners, and restauranteurs descended on the Statehouse in Topeka to voice their opposition to a measure that would impose a 0.4 cent tax on every teaspoon of sugar in non-diet sodas, sports drinks, and other sugared beverages. That would amount to about 5 cents for every 12-ounce can.
read more here »Michigan “Meatout” Declaration Grills Sensibilities (Wednesday, 3/17/2010)
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has signed an unprecedented, unilateral declaration making this Saturday “Meatout Day” in her state, and encouraging Michiganders to eat vegetarian breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Granholm peppers her declaration with a variety of claims about the supposed benefits of eating vegetarian meals and “risks” of consuming meat.
read more here »Taxing “Junk Food” Is Trashy Policy (Tuesday, 3/16/2010)
A study released last week provides America’s obesity police with new ammunition by concluding that raising the price of pizza and soda—through taxes, say—would reduce how much of them we consume (and thus our total caloric intake). Co-authored by the notoriously overzealous University of North Carolina professor Barry Popkin, the paper is generating lots of media buzz at a time when many states are considering soft drink taxes. But are Popkin's conclusions sound? Not exactly.
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