Posted on 03/14/2016 6:01:20 PM PDT by UsernameObsolete
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg found out firsthand how unpopular laws banning sugary drinks could be. Not only did he encounter strong opposition from those who felt his proposed prohibition on large sodas was an attack on liberty, he also heard from those critics who felt New Yorkers would only purchase multiple beverages or find another way to circumvent the mandate. While his attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, other municipal leaders have made their own attempts to curb cola consumption.
Among the latest is Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenneys plan to add three cents per ounce to the cost of every sugary drink sold in the city, an initiative that would raise an estimated $400 million over the next five years.
(Excerpt) Read more at theextract.net ...
Alcohol is a sugary drink.
Or shouldn’t I give them any ideas?
IF there was no change in human behavior due to the imposition of the tax.
The mayor and company are suffering from a severe case of recto-cranial inversion.
It would really raise $400 million?? Really??
In the real world, tax increases tend to fall short of the projected revenue because the addition of the tax changes peoples behavior and spending patterns. I would expect the same here. 3 cents per ounce times 16 ounces in a drink adds up, and people will undoubtedly drink less of these sugary drinks.
The suburbs and NJ are literally five miles in any direction from any point in Philly
1. push the measure through
2. allocate the 'projected' monies
3. cry the blues when there's a shortfall
4. make up the difference by raising taxes somewhere else
3x12 is 36 cents per can of soda. On sale they are 25 cents now.
Are diet sodas exempt? No sugar?
Artificial sweetener is worse than sugar.
That’s 36 cents on a single tin of soda. A 500 ml bottle gets nearly a DOLLAR in tax.
When I can buy a 2 litre bottle of soda for 69 cents, do you think I will consider paying over $3 in taxes on that same bottle? Or will I just not buy soda where the tax is imposed?
OOPS! I used the wrong conversion. 16.9 oz, a 500 ml bottle will have 48 cents tax
Kenney’s several cards short of a full deck.
5. Plead with the state to bail them out.
Kenney’s an idiot - the same dud who, after a perp recently shot a policeman announcing it was done “in the name of ISIS”, claimed at a presser that “no one in this room believes this has anything to do with Islam” - but he did run as a Democrat, and that’s all one needs to be elected in Philadelphia.....
Of course not. But that's the number they need to establish the new entitlements, so they get entrenched... then they will come back with more things to tax to get the amount they really need. Look for taxes on cheesesteaks and soft pretzels...
PA residents will do what they always do when faced with heavy taxes - shop in Delaware.
The reality is people will shop in the suburbs. Chicago has imposed all sort of taxes from cigarettes, gasoline and entertainment txes. The result gas stations closed, movie theaters moved to the suburbs and cigarette purchases decreased because smokers go to buy in DuPage and surrounding counties including
going to Indiana.
Off topic, but traveled thru Delaware a couple years ago. I got a McDonalds combo meal with the fish sandwich. It cost about $3.60, as I recall. The same combo meal cost me about
$6.40,in California at the time. This really showed me the impact of taxes and regulations on business.
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