Posted on 03/08/2005 7:37:49 AM PST by Cat loving Texan
Unbelievable.
The nanny state in Texas! Not content with super taxes on beer and cigarettes, the state now worries about food selections. Next it will be fatty foods and white bread.
I would support an small (single digit) overall VAT (on all goods sold, not just snacks) in return for a 9% flat income tax, removal of all cap gains taxes and abolishment of Alternative Minimum Tax. Failing all that, this sort of thing would suck eggs.
First the smokers, now the eaters. Next?
Any excuse for a new tax! This isn't really about improving health or they would eliminate the tax on healthful food items alongside this tax increase. It's about revenue enhancement and lifestyle taxes are all the rage.
Just like the cigarette tax, this one is regressive since most junkfood eaters, like most cigarette smokers, are low wage earners.
I bet somewhere in that bill it says this tax is for the children, as in: we're doing this to encourage parents to give up snack foods and give their children healthier food.
How about gay men? Their lifestyle certainly isn't healthy. The tax could be imposed at gay bars and for participation in gay pride events.
They won't ammend the franchise taxe loopholes to make all pay but they are putting in a payroll tax (defacto income tax) Furthermore they won't let a constitutional ammendment on casino gambling be kicked out of the legislature and voted up or down by the public. The only positive is that they only meet 140 days every other year.
Do any of these paperpushing pig pen pork barrellers run a business that would have to add another couple layers of paperwork just to keep the doors open? Pretty soon a small retail store will have half a dozen quarterly tax payments to make.
"I bet somewhere in that bill it says this tax is for the children, as in: we're doing this to encourage parents to give up snack foods and give their children healthier food."
The State must give the children healthier food, because Heaven knows that the CHiP's program can only help a few dozen of them now.
They should all be voted out of office. Cut spending, don't raise taxes.
This is discrimination agaist Little Debbie and Laura Lynn.
They say they're trying to target people with eating problems. Won't this just force people to buy less healthy food in order to finance their snack habit?
I notice that the smokers are included too..........no legislature ever misses an opportunity to stick it to the smokers one way or another.
with that said.........this is utterly ridiculous. did these "elected" people ever once think about CUTTING spending?
Oh, c'mon you know what's next. Now put down the beer and walk away from it with your hands in the air. If you want to keep that thing you must pay the mandatory 100% sinners tax!
Well, you certainly won't see taxes on condoms.
But what about- "In addition, the bill calls for businesses to pay a payroll tax of 1.15 percent on each employee's salary, up to $90,000 per worker, which is also a slight increase from last week's proposal."
This is NOTHING but a State Income Tax under a DIFFERENT NAME!
They taxed and outlawed smoking till that Golden Goose died , now they go after snack foods.
Jay Leno could use that joke about these legislators doing it for the obese. What a crock of manure that is.
But what the hell someone has to pay for the hospitalisation of Mexicans coming over to have babies.
Great idea. On the opposite side of the coin, let's tax pregnant women too. Kids cost a lot to raise.
Here go the health police again under the guise to raise money for the schools. Now there is a new class of vices that must be taxed.....chips, popcorn, cookies, candy.
Time to organize a mass automobile drive down to Austin and clog their city up till the legislature cries uncle.
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