Posted on 03/08/2010 5:08:18 PM PST by bruinbirdman
Mr Bloomberg, whose administration has already targeted unhealthy trans fats in food and banned smoking from many public areas, has urged New York state legislators to impose a tax of a cent per ounce on the sugary drinks.
He described the soda tax - equivalent to an extra eight pence on a can - as "a fix that just makes sense", saving lives and cutting rising health care costs.
"An extra 12 cents on a can of soda would raise nearly $1 billion (£663 million), allowing us to keep community health services open and teachers in the classroom," he said on his weekly radio programme on Sunday.
"And, at the same time, it would help us fight a major problem plaguing our children: obesity."
David Paterson, the mayor of New York state, has already proposed a soda tax but it was dropped last year following a public outcry.
Mr Bloomberg has suggested a slightly different tax, involving a direct levy on drink producers, and has astutely highlighted its financial benefits at a time when the state faces a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall.
Officials in Philadelphia last week presented the city's proposed fiscal budget for 2011, which includes a two cents per ounce levy on all sugar-sweetened drinks.
The American Beverage Association, whose members include the makers of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, said Mr Bloomberg's proposal would not work and could threaten jobs.
"Taxes don't work for making people healthier," said an association spokesman.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Flipping food Nazi.
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He lost that being named Bloomberg at birth.
I wouldn't have given him a snowball's chance in hell, even before this idiocy.
LOL, as if that serpent had a chance.
Baloney. I wish they wouldnt insult our intelligence by lying about what this tax is for: Picking our pockets to pay for whatever they want.
"An extra 12 cents on a can of soda would raise nearly $1 billion (£663 million), allowing us to keep community health services open and teachers in the classroom,"
See? Teachers in the classroom. What does that have to sdo with saving lives and cutting health care costs? (the teachers lobby is one of the more powerful ones in New York, so no wonder theyll be getting their share of this new tax)
He’s such a fascist. Let the People decide what they want to eat and drink. It’s called “freedom” Mike, look it up.
First they came for the smokers . . .
He’s not actually banning them from doing anything. Now the transfat ban, yes that’s stupid. But this doesn’t actually ban anything. All it does is raise the price that the consumer pay but they ultimately have the choice of whether or not to buy it.
I’d be all up in arms if the federal government were doing this but municipalities have every right to do this if they want.
And if you don’t want to pay the tax tne you can choose not to by not drinking soda.
Now the New York city Tea Party will have a name change...
Imagine Soda Parties dumping the fizz on the hot streets of NYC in front of City Hall this summer.
I buy all my soda in Joisy
There is yer operative phrase in a nutshell.
... allowing us to keep community health services open and teachers in the classroom ...
And there is yer bogus justification for above said operative phrase.
"And, at the same time, it would help us fight a major problem plaguing our children: obesity."
Now all rolled into one, the first operative phrase allows a 'side benefit' supposedly linked together with the second and third which basically sez:
"We're BROKE! We need MO MONEY MO MONEY MO MONEY !!!"
Give it up, Bloomy, nobody is buying into your Nanny City nonesense anymore.
>> whose members include the makers of Coca-Cola and Pepsi
Why not? Those corps are eager to sign onto any Leftwing cause.
States don't have mayors, silly.
.
Bump!
When you elect big government types you get big taxes. Drink up and enjoy New York.
I don’t think his name has anything to do with it. I think being a liberal nutcase did.
I'm not arguing that he doesn't have the authority to do this. I'm saying that morally wrong to punish people (the tax) for drinking something (soda) that he doesn't want them to drink.
Laggards, Illinois has had it since Sept 5, 2009.
I've said it before and I'm saying it again: FreeRepublic needs an edit function so people can fix errors in their posts.
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