Soda taxes disproportionately affect lower income Americans, according to a new study released by the Tax Foundation.
Taxes levied per ounce on sugary drinks by Democrats in Berkeley, Philadelphia, and Seattle are even more regressive, according to the study. The middle class would pay the most if Congress passed a nationwide soda tax, as two-thirds of its revenue would come from those earning between $20,000 and $100,000.
If an excise tax per fluid ounces were to be enacted, households earning less than $100,000 would pay 78 percent of the tax.
"Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes theoretically offer the potential for reducing externality health-care costs stemming from excessive sugar consumption, and in this way they may raise the prospect of efficiency gains by signaling to consumers these higher social costs," according to the study. "However, these taxes also raise equity concerns to the extent these goods represent a disproportionate share of the consumption among lower-income households."
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5 comments:
Anyone can stop drinking soda and end the taxation misery and health depleting effects of all of the crap in it.
Need to hold legislators accountable to where the money goes in these tax hikes.
Yes md tried this and achocol and tabacoo sales when down and revenue tax projections tanked. Md is run by dumb leftwing stupid ignorant mobsters.
Need to old legislators accountable PERIOD. Stupid taxes like on soft drinks and tobacco backfires when folks STOP. Gasoline for example is something we ALL need and folks from other states can contribute.
We need to vote appropriately when the time comes. If you don't vote, your say so means nothing!
My sister-in-law is elderly and type one diabetic since the age of 14. She still lives alone and depends on juice boxes set around her house for emergency sugar source when insulin levels are high. The difference between life and death to her. She lives in Philly on an extremely tight budget. This tax is so unfair to people like her.
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