NY Gov. Proposes Obesity Tax on Drinks

[Buttercup]

NY gov proposes 18 percent obesity tax on drinks


New York Gov. David Paterson is fighting obesity and budget deficits in a proposal for an 18 percent tax on soda and other sugary drinks containing less than 70 percent real fruit juice.

"People don't really realize the amount of calories they're ingesting through liquids," said Joe Baker acting deputy secretary for Health and Human Services to the governor. "They say, 'Oh, it's just a drink."'

The idea is to discourage consumption of high-caloric beverages _ health officials estimate a 5 percent drop _ and to raise $404 million in fiscal year 2009-2010 toward the state's multibillion dollar budget gap.

Full story: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wi...,1237354.story

[Ryan]

I don't know if taxation is the answer, but it took me a long time to realize how many calories I was ingesting in the form of Dr. Pepper. The trainer I was using estimated between 1000 and 2000 calories a day! Once I realized the problem and started drinking water, I felt better and lost body fat.

[irishmick]

Everyone knows that that crap is bad for you. To tax it just because they need extra revenue is stupid. Find a better reason to tax it...like more people buy it...instead of telling people what they can and can't drink. Not everyone who drinks soda is fat. And does this mean that diet soda won't be taxed? I bet a lot of people would switch.