Thread: Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2¢ per oz.

On Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:14:22 -0600, Andy wrote:

> Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2¢ per oz.

"Philadelphia officials say the sugar-sweetened beverage tax will
finance obesity prevention programs, deter the consumption of
unhealthy beverages, and generate revenue for the city."

This is why people like Joseph Stack fly airplanes into buildings
and kill people.

This is a ridiculous tax that costs more than the product itself
($.24 on 12oz - I can get cans of soda out of a machine for $.25).
And then they try and feed people this total bull**** about how the
money will be used to fund "obesity prevention programs" when that's
not the case at all. The reason for the tax was clear: We Need More
Money for the City Coffers.

It's pathetic the way they try and hide these political games under
guises such as "We're doing it for the children!". They're doing it
for *themselves* and not the good of the city or the people.

Unfortunately the dumb and gullible outnumber the smart and wise.

-sw

On 3/4/2010 8:14 AM, Andy wrote:
> Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2¢ per oz.
>
> To help relieve the city's tax burden they're proposing this tax!!!
>
> What next? Tax fat?
>
> Why does the public have to pay for Philadelphia's decades of government
> mismanagement? Like it's all our fault?!?
>
> BULL****!!!
>
> Andy

Its just weasel politicians who are trying to figure out how to pay for
all of the "free stuff" they give away to folks who voted for them by
adding another "nuisance" tax to the 100s of other nuisance taxes. This
is one of the reasons all taxes except some uniform flat tax need to be
abolished. That way the politicians only get one shot to present the
very large bill for "free stuff" to the taxpayers. Currently they don't
have a clue with Obama and friends wanting to spend even more money we
don't have.

There is a really good reason why the tea party movement has grown.

Reading from news:rec.food.cooking,
Andy <[email protected]> posted:

> Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2+AKI- per oz.
>
> To help relieve the city's tax burden they're proposing this tax!!!
>
> What next? Tax fat?
>
> Why does the public have to pay for Philadelphia's decades of government
> mismanagement? Like it's all our fault?!?
>
> BULL****!!!

That would add $2.88 to the price of a case of Coca-Cola. Oh wait... I
forgot. Coke uses corn syrup, not sugar. I guess they can't tax that. If
Coke would use sugar in their drinks, I wouldn't mind paying more for
them.

Damaeus

Reading from news:rec.food.cooking,
George <[email protected]> posted:

> Its just weasel politicians who are trying to figure out how to pay for
> all of the "free stuff" they give away to folks who voted for them by
> adding another "nuisance" tax to the 100s of other nuisance taxes. This
> is one of the reasons all taxes except some uniform flat tax need to be
> abolished. That way the politicians only get one shot to present the
> very large bill for "free stuff" to the taxpayers. Currently they don't
> have a clue with Obama and friends wanting to spend even more money we
> don't have.

It costs a lot of money to coerce people into live their lives according
to some set of ideals, and it costs even more to punish them for having
the audacity to live as free human beings.

Damaeus

What do you suggest as an alternative, Andy? You want your potholes
fixed for free and the schools to stay open and the cops to protect
you and the firemen and the trash pick up all for free?? Keep
drinking your Pepsi and we can keep the libraries open a few hours a
day. ========



> Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2 per oz.
>
> To help relieve the city's tax burden they're proposing this tax!!!
>
> What next? Tax fat?
>
> Why does the public have to pay for Philadelphia's decades of government
> mismanagement? Like it's all our fault?!?
>
> BULL****!!!
>
> Andy

In article <[email protected]>,
Damaeus <[email protected]> wrote:


> That would add $2.88 to the price of a case of Coca-Cola. Oh wait... I
> forgot. Coke uses corn syrup, not sugar. I guess they can't tax that. If
> Coke would use sugar in their drinks, I wouldn't mind paying more for
> them.

First of all, HFCS is a kind of sugar. It is roughly as sweet as
sucrose, has the same mouthfeel and has the same number of calories.

Secondly, this is a world wide newsgroup. In most of the world, sucrose
is *cheaper* than HFCS, therefore it is used for sweetening soft drinks,
like Coke. I don't know exactly where this is true, though.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA
[email protected]

"snuffy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> What do you suggest as an alternative, Andy? You want your potholes
> fixed for free and the schools to stay open and the cops to protect
> you and the firemen and the trash pick up all for free?? Keep
> drinking your Pepsi and we can keep the libraries open a few hours a
> day. ========
>
>
>
>> Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2 per oz.
>>
>> To help relieve the city's tax burden they're proposing this tax!!!
>>
>> What next? Tax fat?
>>
>> Why does the public have to pay for Philadelphia's decades of government
>> mismanagement? Like it's all our fault?!?
>>
>> BULL****!!!
>>
>> Andy
>

If I recall, Andy lives in Media, which is in Delaware County, a suburb of
Philly, so unless he is hopping the R3 Media/Elwyn train to Center City to
stock up on his soda fix, I don't think he has to worry. His local Acme
won't charge him a soda tax as this only applies to Philadelphia and not
it's suburbs.
-ginny

I think the issue is that the tax is discrimanatory and targets a
particular population of people (those who prefer non-diet drinks for
whatever reason whether it be taste or what have you). There are plenty
of other ways to tax people in Philadelphia on a more universal level
to maintain the police and roads.

However, as was mentioned earlier, the tax is supposedly being put
towards obesity awareness / prevention / make go away programs. That is
a good thing. Though as a healthy individual living in Philly who likes
the taste of sugar (Pepsi Throwback ), I would like to see the tax
targeted more towards retailers known for less than healthy food. Maybe
the tax could only apply to restaurants or fast food places rather than
grocery stores?

"Virginia Tadrzynski" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "snuffy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected].
> .
>> What do you suggest as an alternative, Andy? You want your potholes
>> fixed for free and the schools to stay open and the cops to protect
>> you and the firemen and the trash pick up all for free?? Keep
>> drinking your Pepsi and we can keep the libraries open a few hours a
>> day. ========
>>
>>
>>
>>> Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2 per oz.
>>>
>>> To help relieve the city's tax burden they're proposing this tax!!!
>>>
>>> What next? Tax fat?
>>>
>>> Why does the public have to pay for Philadelphia's decades of
>>> government mismanagement? Like it's all our fault?!?
>>>
>>> BULL****!!!
>>>
>>> Andy
>>
>
> If I recall, Andy lives in Media, which is in Delaware County, a
> suburb of Philly, so unless he is hopping the R3 Media/Elwyn train to
> Center City to stock up on his soda fix, I don't think he has to
> worry. His local Acme won't charge him a soda tax as this only
> applies to Philadelphia and not it's suburbs.
> -ginny


ginny,

While true about Media, PA, DelCo, the proposed tax still stands as
outright BULL****!!!

How would you feel if it happened in your town?

Best,

Andy

On Mar 4, 11:05*pm, theowp wrote:
> I think the issue is that the tax is discrimanatory and targets a
> particular population of people (those who prefer non-diet drinks for
> whatever reason whether it be taste or what have you). There are plenty
> of other ways to tax people in Philadelphia on a more universal level
> to maintain the police and roads.
>
> However, as was mentioned earlier, the tax is supposedly being put
> towards obesity awareness / prevention / make go away programs. That is
> a good thing. Though as a healthy individual living in Philly who likes
> the taste of sugar (Pepsi Throwback ), I would like to see the tax
> targeted more towards retailers known for less than healthy food. Maybe
> the tax could only apply to restaurants or fast food places rather than
> grocery stores?

They are talking about a similar tax in Washington state. No mention
of obesity programs, just need money. 5 cents per soda and 1 penny per
*ounce* of bottled water. That could double a case of water and more
than double gallons and larger.

I drink both pop and bottled water. Around here the tap water tastes
nasty. Filters help, but bot completely. The filter in the fridge does
no good at all. Even the ice stinks. I use the filtered water to cook,
but for drinking, I stick with the bottled water.

It is really frustrating. Before the last election, our governor
claimed we doing fine and denied claims that she was interested in
starting a state tax (we already have a 9% sales tax for state and
city). But shortly after winning the election, she announced that our
budget is bad, and we need to consider a partial state income tax in
addition to the sales tax. And now they are talking about taxes on
soda, bottled water, and candy.

[email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mar 4, 11:05*pm, theowp wrote:

>> I think the issue is that the tax is discrimanatory and targets a
>> particular population of people (those who prefer non-diet drinks for
>> whatever reason whether it be taste or what have you). There are plenty
>> of other ways to tax people in Philadelphia on a more universal level
>> to maintain the police and roads.

>> However, as was mentioned earlier, the tax is supposedly being put
>> towards obesity awareness / prevention / make go away programs. That is
>> a good thing. Though as a healthy individual living in Philly who likes
>> the taste of sugar (Pepsi Throwback ), I would like to see the tax
>> targeted more towards retailers known for less than healthy food. Maybe
>> the tax could only apply to restaurants or fast food places rather than
>> grocery stores?

>They are talking about a similar tax in Washington state. No mention
>of obesity programs, just need money. 5 cents per soda and 1 penny per
>*ounce* of bottled water. That could double a case of water and more
>than double gallons and larger.

California has had a junk food tax for years. Normally, groceries
are not subject to sales tax but they make an exception and tax
sodapop and snack food at the normal sales tax rate, which is
roughly 10%.

The categories are a little wonky; a kid buys a candy bar, he
is taxed, wherase a yuppie buys a Green and Black chocolate
bar, he is not taxed. No luxury tax on caviar or truffles,
but there's tax on Fritos.

I personally have thought for years they should tax all groceries,
then credit back to the taxpayer on their income taxes an
amount calculated to be what they would have had to pay for
necessary food. This would have the effect of only taxing
the luxury component of food-buying, and also taxing people
who are passing through the state transiently ... could always
use some more of their money.

Steve

On Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:20:52 -0600, Andy wrote:

> "Virginia Tadrzynski" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> "snuffy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected].
>> .
>>> What do you suggest as an alternative, Andy? You want your potholes
>>> fixed for free and the schools to stay open and the cops to protect
>>> you and the firemen and the trash pick up all for free?? Keep
>>> drinking your Pepsi and we can keep the libraries open a few hours a
>>> day. ========
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2 per oz.
>>>>
>>>> To help relieve the city's tax burden they're proposing this tax!!!
>>>>
>>>> What next? Tax fat?
>>>>
>>>> Why does the public have to pay for Philadelphia's decades of
>>>> government mismanagement? Like it's all our fault?!?
>>>>
>>>> BULL****!!!
>>>>
>>>> Andy
>>>
>>
>> If I recall, Andy lives in Media, which is in Delaware County, a
>> suburb of Philly, so unless he is hopping the R3 Media/Elwyn train to
>> Center City to stock up on his soda fix, I don't think he has to
>> worry. His local Acme won't charge him a soda tax as this only
>> applies to Philadelphia and not it's suburbs.
>> -ginny
>
> ginny,
>
> While true about Media, PA, DelCo, the proposed tax still stands as
> outright BULL****!!!
>
> How would you feel if it happened in your town?
>
> Best,
>
> Andy

OMGOMG!!!! time for pitchforks and lanterns, sheeple!!!

blake

>> If I recall, Andy lives in Media, which is in Delaware County, a
>> suburb of Philly, so unless he is hopping the R3 Media/Elwyn train to
>> Center City to stock up on his soda fix, I don't think he has to
>> worry. His local Acme won't charge him a soda tax as this only
>> applies to Philadelphia and not it's suburbs.
>> -ginny
>
>
> ginny,
>
> While true about Media, PA, DelCo, the proposed tax still stands as
> outright BULL****!!!
>
> How would you feel if it happened in your town?
>
> Best,
>
> Andy

Ginny has a point, Andy. The Mayor is trying to run the city like a
business, the first one to do so in my lifetime. He trying to find a way to
fund the services the city provides now, instead of borrowing against the
future and just make his successor responsible when the city goes bankrupt.

Philly, like most major cities in the US was hit incredibly hard by the
financial meltdown. They are also getting less support from the state and
the feds. It's getting harder and harder to keep city services like
libraries, schools and trash pickup at acceptable levels without finding
more funding.

I'm not sure I think that the soda tax is a great idea, but at least its an
idea. If you have a better one, let Nutter's office know.

Just my ounce of Dr. pepper.
Jon

"Zeppo" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>>> If I recall, Andy lives in Media, which is in Delaware County, a
>>> suburb of Philly, so unless he is hopping the R3 Media/Elwyn train
>>> to Center City to stock up on his soda fix, I don't think he has to
>>> worry. His local Acme won't charge him a soda tax as this only
>>> applies to Philadelphia and not it's suburbs.
>>> -ginny
>>
>>
>> ginny,
>>
>> While true about Media, PA, DelCo, the proposed tax still stands as
>> outright BULL****!!!
>>
>> How would you feel if it happened in your town?
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Andy
>
> Ginny has a point, Andy. The Mayor is trying to run the city like a
> business, the first one to do so in my lifetime. He trying to find a
> way to fund the services the city provides now, instead of borrowing
> against the future and just make his successor responsible when the
> city goes bankrupt.
>
> Philly, like most major cities in the US was hit incredibly hard by
> the financial meltdown. They are also getting less support from the
> state and the feds. It's getting harder and harder to keep city
> services like libraries, schools and trash pickup at acceptable levels
> without finding more funding.
>
> I'm not sure I think that the soda tax is a great idea, but at least
> its an idea. If you have a better one, let Nutter's office know.
>
> Just my ounce of Dr. pepper.
> Jon


Jon,

Mayor Nutter didn't exactly have a "clean plate" to start with when he
was elected. Understood!

Best,

Andy

Reading from news:rec.food.cooking,
Dan Abel <[email protected]> posted:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> Damaeus <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > That would add $2.88 to the price of a case of Coca-Cola. Oh wait... I
> > forgot. Coke uses corn syrup, not sugar. I guess they can't tax that. If
> > Coke would use sugar in their drinks, I wouldn't mind paying more for
> > them.
>
> First of all, HFCS is a kind of sugar. It is roughly as sweet as
> sucrose, has the same mouthfeel and has the same number of calories.
>
> Secondly, this is a world wide newsgroup. In most of the world, sucrose
> is *cheaper* than HFCS, therefore it is used for sweetening soft drinks,
> like Coke. I don't know exactly where this is true, though.

Well, I've read that high-fructose corn syrup is used to sweeten Coke in
America /because/ it's cheaper than sugar. All I'm saying is that while I
like Coke as my favorite soda, I don't like the fact that the only reason
we don't get sugar in the most-available Coke product here is only because
HFCS is cheaper.

Gasoline is cheaper than bottled water. Why don't they use that in canned
soups instead of water? Interesting, too, in a world that's 75% water,
water costs more than gasoline.

Damaeus

On Mar 4, 9:15*pm, Damaeus <no-m...@damaeus.yahoo.invalid> wrote:
> Reading from news:rec.food.cooking,
> Andy <a...@b.c> posted:
>
> > Philadelphia, PA: Sugar tax on drinks proposal: 2+AKI- per oz.
>
> > To help relieve the city's tax burden they're proposing this tax!!!
>
> > What next? Tax fat?
>
> > Why does the public have to pay for Philadelphia's decades of government
> > mismanagement? Like it's all our fault?!?
>
> > BULL****!!!
>
> That would add $2.88 to the price of a case of Coca-Cola. *Oh wait... I
> forgot. *Coke uses corn syrup, not sugar. *I guess they can't tax that. If
> Coke would use sugar in their drinks, I wouldn't mind paying more for
> them.

Do you really think that the intent is to tax sucrose and not HFCS?
It
would certainly apply to drinks sweetened with HFCS.

Cindy Hamilton

On Fri, 5 Mar 2010 12:42:24 -0500, "Zeppo" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm not sure I think that the soda tax is a great idea, but at least its an
>idea. If you have a better one, let Nutter's office know.
>
>Just my ounce of Dr. pepper.

It's a STUPID idea.

All it will do is reduce sales, which will result in LESS tax money
than the City is planning for, which means MORE deficit!

"Zeppo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
>
>>> If I recall, Andy lives in Media, which is in Delaware County, a
>>> suburb of Philly, so unless he is hopping the R3 Media/Elwyn train to
>>> Center City to stock up on his soda fix, I don't think he has to
>>> worry. His local Acme won't charge him a soda tax as this only
>>> applies to Philadelphia and not it's suburbs.
>>> -ginny
>>
>>
>> ginny,
>>
>> While true about Media, PA, DelCo, the proposed tax still stands as
>> outright BULL****!!!
>>
>> How would you feel if it happened in your town?
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Andy
>
> Ginny has a point, Andy. The Mayor is trying to run the city like a
> business, the first one to do so in my lifetime. He trying to find a way
> to fund the services the city provides now, instead of borrowing against
> the future and just make his successor responsible when the city goes
> bankrupt.
>
> Philly, like most major cities in the US was hit incredibly hard by the
> financial meltdown. They are also getting less support from the state and
> the feds. It's getting harder and harder to keep city services like
> libraries, schools and trash pickup at acceptable levels without finding
> more funding.
>
> I'm not sure I think that the soda tax is a great idea, but at least its
> an idea. If you have a better one, let Nutter's office know.
>
> Just my ounce of Dr. pepper.
> Jon
Thanks Jon, I think Nutter is trying which is more than what Street did. If
you don't want to pay a soda tax don't buy a soda in Philly. People will
grouse and complain, but these are the same people who pay $1.89 a soda at
the mom-n-pop on the corner rather than watching the ads and buying a six
pack or a case of the sodas for not all that much more (I live on Diet
Dew.....local grocer just had the 6 pks of the 24 oz. bottles for
3/$9)......when I go to the city to visit, I'll just take my bottle with me
(hard to find anyway).
-ginny

In article <[email protected]>,
"Zeppo" <[email protected]> wrote:

> >> If I recall, Andy lives in Media, which is in Delaware County, a
> >> suburb of Philly, so unless he is hopping the R3 Media/Elwyn train to
> >> Center City to stock up on his soda fix, I don't think he has to
> >> worry. His local Acme won't charge him a soda tax as this only
> >> applies to Philadelphia and not it's suburbs.
> >> -ginny
> >
> >
> > ginny,
> >
> > While true about Media, PA, DelCo, the proposed tax still stands as
> > outright BULL****!!!
> >
> > How would you feel if it happened in your town?
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Andy
>
> Ginny has a point, Andy. The Mayor is trying to run the city like a
> business, the first one to do so in my lifetime. He trying to find a way to
> fund the services the city provides now, instead of borrowing against the
> future and just make his successor responsible when the city goes bankrupt.
>
> Philly, like most major cities in the US was hit incredibly hard by the
> financial meltdown. They are also getting less support from the state and
> the feds. It's getting harder and harder to keep city services like
> libraries, schools and trash pickup at acceptable levels without finding
> more funding.
>
> I'm not sure I think that the soda tax is a great idea, but at least its an
> idea. If you have a better one, let Nutter's office know.

I work in Philadelphia. I was also born and raised there. I am all for a
soda tax, but the proposed rate is way too high. At 2 cents per ounce,
the tax on a typical bottle of soda would be $0.80 which equates to
approximately 50% of the retail price. Note also that this proposed tax
also includes lots of other sugared drinks such as many juices, coffee
drinks, etc. A much more realistic tax would be based on a percentage of
the drink's retail price.

What would happen if this proposed tax is implemented in Philly is that
soda sales in the city's grocery and convenience stores would plummet
because people would buy less or walk across the city's border and buy
them in an adjacent county.