Should we have a soda tax in Virginia? (sales, how much)

[normie]

This May, the DC Council approved a soda tax. This means the city’s 6% sales tax will be applied to energy drinks, sports drinks, and sodas. (Water, fruit juices, milk, coffee, and tea are exempt from the tax.) The "soda tax" money will be used for DC’s school health programs.

So, what do you think? Should we have a soda tax in Virginia? If so, where should the money raised be spent?

[tgbwc]

No. Then what are we going to have, an additional tax on chocolate because of sugar? Chewing gum? Slurpees and slushies? Ice cream? Burgers and fries because of cholesterol? Why single out soda?

[illeagle]

Not at all... I don't even drink soda, but it's not the government's place to suggest what their idea of a healthy person should consume.

I know a guy who competes in Iron Mans, triathlons, and marathons regularly, and he drinks soda every day.

Why should the government tax people who take care of themselves to help people who don't take care of themselves or their kids?

[Caladium]

I wouldn't mind having a tax like that. I don't think it's a matter of the government dictating what we should or should not eat, it's a matter of deciding what is and what is not a food item. Soda does not have nutritional value, thus should be taxed along with other items in the grocery store that don't have nutritional value.

If we DO institute a soda tax, I hope Virginia has the guts to be honest about it and admit that it's all about raising revenue and NOT about "health issues." What's wrong with raising revenue, anyway? Why do we have to pretend?

[RVA-Jsn20]

Why not? We've got to pay for our crappy roads, school systems, healthcare, etc. somehow. There's nothing wrong with raising revenue and closing the budget gap, and there's also nothing wrong with a small tax on unhealthy foods IMO.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

Slurpees and slushies?

I might be wrong, but I believe slurpees and slushies would be taxed if you had a soda tax. I'm not sure if chewing gum and candy are considered food items, but if they are, it would be ok by me to tax them if they don't have nutritional value.

[RVA-Jsn20]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

No. Then what are we going to have, an additional tax on chocolate because of sugar? Chewing gum? Slurpees and slushies? Ice cream? Burgers and fries because of cholesterol? Why single out soda?

Hopefully. Better than just taking it out of your paycheck if you ask me.

[oneasterisk]

I don't think we need another tax, we just need a gov't able to operate within an honest budget.

[RVA-Jsn20]

Originally Posted by oneasterisk

I don't think we need another tax, we just need a gov't able to operate within an honest budget.

This brings up a whole other issue. Why can't tax-payers see exactly how much money is collected through taxes, and then what is being spent, on what, and how much? There should be a government website with all of this information made public (if there is already such a thing somebody please inform me).

[illeagle]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I don't think it's a matter of the government dictating what we should or should not eat, it's a matter of deciding what is and what is not a food item. Soda does not have nutritional value

thank you for proving my point...... and trying to define what a "food item" is like the DC government has.