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Soda pop tax eyed to ease health costs
Billings Gazette ^
| 2/27/04
| ALLISON FARRELL
Posted on 02/27/2004 9:49:55 AM PST by qam1
HELENA - Money raised through a statewide soda pop tax is needed to stave off an "extreme crisis" in health care facing Montana's growing elderly population, said Charles Aagenes, director of Helena's Rocky Mountain Development Council.
The state Department of Public Health and Human Services needs to come up with millions of dollars to cover the impending health care needs of aging baby boomers, said Aagenes and other officials participating in a statewide video conference on senior health care policy Thursday.
Over the next 25 years, Montana's population of residents over age 60 is expected to swell from 158,000 people to more than 300,000, health officials said.
"A lot of senior centers are struggling to meet current demands, like rising wage rates and rising utility costs," Aagenes said. "A soft drink fee could easily generate the revenue needed."
Kelly Williams, administrator of the state's Senior and Long Term Care Division, urged those participating in the video conference to call their local legislators with the tax proposal. It's unlikely the department will propose the tax itself, she said.
Pop taxes have been proposed but rejected in legislative sessions over the past decade or so.
But without a new source of revenue, it's unlikely the division will have more money to fund more services, Williams added. She and her staff were soliciting senior citizen health care funding priorities from residents of Bozeman, Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Butte, Glendive, Miles City, Havre and Helena.
Over and over again, residents and health care workers said they need more money for in-home and community services, staff pay raises and the Meals on Wheels program.
The 2003 Legislature reduced Meals on Wheels funding by $257,000 over the biennium. While Gov. Judy Martz gave the Meals on Wheels money back after the state received a $73 million windfall last year, that money will not last beyond 2005, state officials said.
"Unless the next legislature gives us the $257,000 back, we're going to have reduce our budget again by $257,000," said Charlie Rehbein, bureau chief for aging services.
Representatives of AARP Montana also urged the department to work on containing prescription drug costs.
"We have many senior citizens not going to the doctor because they know they'll get a prescription and they can't afford it," said Howard Lawson, representing Butte's branch of AARP Montana.
The division needs to raise $11 million in new money to fund a proposal Aagenes brought forth Thursday.
His plan is to plug $4 million into the aging services budget, $3 million into in-home and community services, distribute $700,000 among the state's senior centers and invest $3.3 million in a trust fund that will mature 10 years from now, just when baby boomers are stressing the health care system.
While Aagenes said he doesn't care how the state raises the money, he did say he thought a pop tax would be the most palatable solution.
Williams said her staff will take all suggestions into consideration when preparing the division's budget for fiscal 2006 and 2007. The budget must be submitted to the governor's office by April 30.
TOPICS: Extended News; US: Montana
KEYWORDS: healthfanatics; junkfood; junkfoodtax; pufflist; soda
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1
posted on
02/27/2004 9:49:56 AM PST
by
qam1
To: *puff_list; lockjaw02; Madame Dufarge; SheLion; Gabz; Flurry; CSM; Max McGarrity; Mears; ...
Gee, We couldn't see this one coming now could we.
PING
2
posted on
02/27/2004 9:51:37 AM PST
by
qam1
(Are Republicans the party of Reagan or the party of Bloomberg and Pataki?)
To: qam1
Why don't they just tax breathing? Oh, I forgot. They already do that. Nevermind...
3
posted on
02/27/2004 9:52:08 AM PST
by
agitator
(...And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark)
To: qam1
I didn't realize "pop" country spread that far west. I'd love to see a color-coded map showing which sections of the country call it "pop." As a Yankee, I find it so foreign.
4
posted on
02/27/2004 9:53:55 AM PST
by
BroncosFan
("Give the Harkonnen a blade.")
To: BroncosFan
"Pop" is how the weasel goes. Down here it's a "coke", it's brown and is usually labeled Dr. Pepper or Pepsi.
5
posted on
02/27/2004 9:57:24 AM PST
by
ladtx
( "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." Captain Charles May, 2d Dragoons, 9 May 1846)
To: qam1
Oh boy, here it comes. What next?
6
posted on
02/27/2004 10:00:53 AM PST
by
caisson71
To: ladtx
My bad. It's usually labeled Dr. Pepper or my personal favorite RC.
7
posted on
02/27/2004 10:01:47 AM PST
by
ladtx
( "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." Captain Charles May, 2d Dragoons, 9 May 1846)
To: qam1
I fully envision the day that a tax is emposed to "help ease the burden on tax payers".
8
posted on
02/27/2004 10:06:10 AM PST
by
avg_freeper
(Gunga galunga. Gunga, gunga galunga)
To: ladtx
It's "coke" up here too, and it's a 70-30 Coke-Pepsi split. Can't recall if I've ever even had a Dr. Pepper. Seems so 70s.
9
posted on
02/27/2004 10:06:25 AM PST
by
BroncosFan
("Give the Harkonnen a blade.")
To: BroncosFan
My wife and daughter-in-law are both Dr. Pepper "addicts". My wife gives it up for lent every year. Tuesday she bought a 2 liter bottle of it and put a pretty good dent in it before Ash Wednesday.
10
posted on
02/27/2004 10:14:37 AM PST
by
ladtx
( "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." Captain Charles May, 2d Dragoons, 9 May 1846)
To: BroncosFan
Oh you mean a "soda"....If ya need a drink...just use the 'bubbler' its cheaper
11
posted on
02/27/2004 10:14:55 AM PST
by
joesnuffy
(Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
To: qam1
An idea that is as stupid as New Coke.
12
posted on
02/27/2004 10:18:26 AM PST
by
bmwcyle
(<a href="http://www.johnkerry.com/" target="_blank">miserable failure)
To: qam1
Great...now folks will be busted for importing black market Pepsi from Idaho.
To: BroncosFan
Funny you should mention that. Martin_Fierro posted one yesterday here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1085257/posts
Very interesting.
To: qam1
Another community turns to the internet for tax free purchases - this time for the dreaded sody habit.
15
posted on
02/27/2004 10:21:48 AM PST
by
AD from SpringBay
(We have the government we allow and deserve.)
To: BroncosFan
Growing up in Colorado in the 70s we drank pop....didn't even know what soda was.
To: ladtx
"My wife gives it up for lent every year."
Me too! But geez is it difficult!
17
posted on
02/27/2004 10:25:51 AM PST
by
Arpege92
To: AD from SpringBay
I don't care what they call it, I just hope Montana leads the way by adding a .25 cent per can tax to all of that flavored sugar water.Most of the problems now being suffered by a lot of people are caused by bad diets which include Pop-Soda-Coke-belly wash( my favorite Southern Name)what ever you call it.
To: BroncosFan
19
posted on
02/27/2004 10:37:48 AM PST
by
KarlInOhio
(The idea of five Supreme Court justices appointed by President Kerry chills me to the bone.)
To: Living Free in NH
I would not worry about this one....the Indian reservations will help sell soda tax-free. If people are stupid enough to tax soda, then they are stupid enough to tax hamburgers and chips too...as fat products. This type of taxation is rampant here in Germany....its geared to generate income, and change your usage of products.
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