
Soda Tax bubbles up some Controversy
New York, NY
Views: 10,808
by Justin August
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Soda Tax? Governor Patterson is grasping at straws trying to get New Yorkers to make sense of the proposed tax. But most people are not taking the bait. I have to say, if this tax really is about helping curb obesity, I totally , whole heatedly agree with it. If the tax is meant to help out the budget issues of Ny schools, I would love it. If the tax was meant to help get NY out of debt, I would back it completely, but, alas, this is not the case.
Along with the announcement of this proposed tax the Governor also announced a 3% cut in education spending and a $620-a-year tuition hike at SUNY along with a $600 hike at CUNY. So obviously the soda tax is not helping the schools, and with the onslaught of protests that have sparked up like wildfire in California, I'm sure NY students will be following suit shortly. So where is the soda tax money going? I am not sure there is a definite answer, but I can tell you that the supposed $404 million dollars a year that this tax is scheduled to generate would be best placed in schools and in our fire departments who are also suffering the woes of the economy.
What would really help NY out, well here are just a few of my suggestions. If we are really worried about New Yorks children and obesity, maybe we should tax all candy, fast food and the likes. In turn, there should be tax breaks and incentives for people who buy healthy food, locally grown produce, meats and similar products. Water should have the smallest tax of all, if any.
And this brings me to what myself and millions of Americans have been saying the whole time, LEGALIZE POT ALREADY!!!! Everyone knows the history and the consequences of this non-lethal herb by now, it has become such a ridiculous idea that we still allow people to get blotto on alcohol , but we aren't supposed to smoke pot, which has less effects then drinking ever can or will have on your body. Our country is headed for horrible financial times, if we don't get our act together we will be speaking Chinese in the next ten years when we are in complete dismal debt to China., No offense China, but I like speaking english and smoking pot, and I just don't understand why this government will not allow itself, let alone it's people to profit health wise and financially from this wonderful product.

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Last updated New York, NY 10.03.10 by Justin August
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