Philadelphia

[Rome]

I don't care about huge tax increases on other people!

Now when it hits my pocket, ok brother, we got itchoos!!

[rjs246]

You can't possibly be this dense so I'll just leave it where it is. You continue to have a sad because poisonous carbonated sugar water is slightly more expensive in the midst of an obesity epidemic and I'll continue to support good tax policies that fund public education.

[ice grillin you]

Or maybe, to phrase it a little differently, if you're drinking so much soda that a .03/oz tax is going to materially impact your bottom line, maybe that money could be better spent elsewhere.

the syrup is taxed not the fountain soda...im not saying the retail price of sodas wont go up penny for penny but its important to note that the buyer is not be taxed initially...the cost of product goes up all the time and you don't always see a price hike or even if you do it isn't necessarily penny for penny...there is fine line bwtn raising prices and negatively effecting sales

A 32 ounce soda is 69 cents at a gas station, right?

Now that same product costs $1.65 or 239% more because of a tax. 

That is straight up bullshtein and don't tell me it doesn't affect the poor disproportionately because it does.

again the tax is not charged at the register...I can almost guarantee the corporations and the retailers will not pass an increase like that onto the consumer...but even if some do...guess what you can buy something non poisonous instead

since you are soooooo concerned with the poor people of Philadelphia let me be the first to tell you no one is now going to spend their rent money on soda.....no one should ever be buying a 32 oz soda period...rich or poor...if this makes X number of people healthier which it undoubtedly will then its a great thing...oh by the way keep ignoring the impact of universal pre k and all the other things the tax will fund and greatly improve the lives of poor people

bottom line is you don't give a rats ass about the poor people in the city....you just hate the government or love soda

fyi most poor people in the city don't drive....so the gas station fountain sodas you are talking about are normally gobbled up by largely middle class working people...the bottled sodas and juices at the corner bodega is what the poor drink

I'm just sick of government slowly finding new ways to farg the consumer. Soda taxes may be just a tiny thing, but it's indicative of a longer term problem.

whats the longer term problem that is connected to something like a soda cigarette or alcohol tax...im always legitimately interested in how civilization is going to eventually fall because of something like this

[PhillyPhreak54]

I don't care about huge tax increases on other people!

Now when it hits my pocket, ok brother, we got itchoos!!

If they did it in Houston id be for it.

[rjs246]

Right? I'm a giant booze hound and I pay handsomely for the privilege thanks to our tax code. Guess what, I have never and will never bitch about it. I've made my choices and I know the costs. No one is forcing me to drink my face off five nights a week.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Agreed.

And the whole distribution of the monies collected is another thing. But if I'm paying an increased tax (esp sales or property) and see it's a sham or being pissed away then you go after the council members and mayor.

But yeah I go back to junk food and things of that nature should be harder to get and the healthy options cheaper.

If the soda is $0.75 and the juice is $1.99 the poor folks buy the soda. Flip the script and make the soda more than the healthy option. Same in fast food.

[smeags]

They're encouraging healthier behavior by enacting a tax. Oh, and funding education all the while.

That's the big, feel-good smokescreen. They aren't changing behavior, and they know it. Politicians and bureaucrats take advantage of vices to create new lines of revenue. They tell us how they will help us all, while they line their pockets and build more bureaucracy that requires more and more money and influence to keep it all going.

this is where im at on this pretty much. it's not just going to be on soda either so people should save that arguement if it's your basis of your debate, it's anything over a certain sugar level which will include juices and other drinks.

lastly and most importantly than the tax is, I do not trust the philly city council nor the board of education. this is going to fail.

[Rome]

Right? I'm a giant booze hound and I pay handsomely for the privilege thanks to our tax code. Guess what, I have never and will never bitch about it. I've made my choices and I know the costs. No one is forcing me to drink my face off five nights a week.

If it makes you feel any better, I'm totally rooting for you drinking yourself to death.

[rjs246]

You wish. Sorry suckers, I'm farging indestructible.

[smeags]

getting warm and fuzzy in here.

[Rome]

You wish. Sorry suckers, I'm farging indestructible.

More soda & less beer. 

[ice grillin you]

I don't think we should have taxes anywhere of any kind....I mean whats the point...the meanie govt is just going to steal the money any way

[Susquehanna Birder]

Nobody said that taxes aren't necessary. But constantly finding new and interesting ways to slowly bleed the populace to support an ever-growing, money sucking political machine is not necessary.

[ice grillin you]

if you don't like soda cigarette or alcohol taxes that's one thing....i dont like my taxes going to the military...but you (and others) have said repeatedly that you are against this also because they will just steal the money...and that argument cant just apply to a soda tax it has to apply to all taxes

[Rome]

I work for the farging government.  I know taxes are essential.  I know governmental services are essential.  I'm saying that this particular tax proposal is onerous.  Do you understand the difference between being for most things but against others?  The world is not binary, IGY.