I’ve
got all sorts of questions about this news that cities are planning
to tax soda and pizza. And most of them
begin in a simple place… where does it end?
First,
let’s start with a two-part general idea about the tax itself…
Part
one… This is nothing too new for towns, cities, and states. Ever
travel? Ever seen something like a travel and tourism tax on your
hotel bill?
Part
two… Who here says smoking is good for you? Ok… this isn’t purely
about smoking. But the idea works. See… no one is going to tell
you that smoking is good for you. We all agree that smoking has
health risks and creates problems not only for the smoker, but
for those nearby.
What
I am getting at is a misconception about this new tax idea… that
it’s a good thing.
When
places tax “tourism” they give they impression that they are taxing
“tourists”… people from out of town… not locals. So there becomes
an almost automatic support base because… if you will… we’re not
paying the tax, outsiders are. And that carries over to the smoking
thing. If people don’t like it… don’t smoke… it’ll be good for
you and good for everyone else.
It’s
not quite that simple.
We
get to this pizza and soda tax. And a portion of the story is
health benefits. We’re going to tax pizza… and less people will
buy pizza… so people will be eating healthier. Everyone wins!
Eat
unhealthy… pay more… the only losers are unhealthy, pizza-eating
smokers. (And who cares about them?)
Hmm…
Did
you see the news about chemicals in food
being linked to health concerns? Stunning news (sarcasm intended)…
it may not be all about the foods you eat, but also about the
chemicals involved in the food you are eating.
Now
I’m not going to go out there and tell you fast food is good for
you, so run out and change over from fresh fruits and vegetables
as the focus of breakfast and lunch to burgers and fries two meals
a day. Instead… according to this article it’s certainly possible
that apple sauce… 2% milk… and all sorts of other things aren’t
just bad for you, they’re very bad for you, and you might even
want to consider just eating the darn cheeseburger.
Let’s
take this a step further.
Who
is it deciding that pizza is bad for you? And I ask because aren’t
we then closing in on an 18% tax on cookies? And if so, then aren’t
we getting ready for special taxes at bakeries and bars and… well…
this goes on and on and grows until anything that isn’t essential
becomes taxed. Because non-essentials are luxuries… and luxuries
belong not to us, but them… the pizza-eating smokers.
Yup…
forget that healthy for you approach, and look more closely at
taxing those outsiders.
This
isn’t about taxing soda and pizza because it’s bad for you. And
if you think it is, you’re wearing blinders. This is about looking
for money, and taxing soda and pizza has a way of presenting it
as necessary and worthwhile.
In
a way, this is a classic not-in-my-backyard concept. As long as
I don’t eat pizza, I could care less if you tax it. Won’t matter
to me. Follow the idea… tax local hotel rooms all you want, I
live in my home and don’t use local hotels… if I don’t smoke,
I don’t care how much it costs… and so on.
Keep
going though. Because your town’s budgets have problems in 2011
as well folks.
If
taxing pizza and soda raises money this year… what happens next
year when the budget numbers aren’t adding up? Stands to reason
that people will look for other things to tax. Strip clubs… restaurants
serving fried foods… pick anything you want that can be painted
with a brush as a vice or a health risk or in some way being bad
or an activity of the minority.
The
biggest problem I have with it is that it’s all action and no
reaction in thought. The article I’m linking to just mentions
the basics. But it was the third or fourth article I had seen
on it, so I finally started writing. It’s a ready… fire… aim approach
that makes zero sense.
Don’t
believe me? Watch…
Water.
Was
it about a decade ago that everyone was all over the drink more
water campaign? Something like that.
It
seemed so logical. Dump the sugared up, so-called fruit juices
and calorie-loaded carbonated beverages. Drink the zero-calorie
good stuff.
And
then we were drinking too much water.
And
then some of the sources of water were tainted because of all
the run off of waste from drugs and such. (Turns out that punch
line about “must be something in the water” was more accurate
than anyone could have imagined.)
And
then the plastic bottles were bad for the environment.
And
then some states added water bottles to their deposit programs.
The
debate on water… in one form or another… goes on.
Tax
pizza and soda? I laugh at the notion.
I
laugh because this is a beginning… not an answer.
I
laugh because there is no investigation of consequences.
I
laugh because it seems so poorly thought out and outrageous.
(And
I cry because so many will think it’s a great idea.)
All
I can say is this… five, ten, fifteen years from now… don’t come
crying to me when all the local bakeries are out of business.
You asked for it.