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Mayor looking for new sources of tax revenue

KCBS – SF Considers a Tax on Sugary Drinks — Just tax everything.

For years, the idea of taxing soda to beat back obesity has been tossed around in medical circles. But now, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is proposing a tax on beverages high in fructose corn syrup.

Newsom says obesity accounts for tens of millions of dollars in city health care costs. He cites a recent San Francisco Health Department survey that found nearly a quarter of the city’s 5th, 7th and 9th graders were overweight and that high sugar drinks make up a tenth of a kid’s daily calorie count.

Newsom reportedly wants all big box retailers and chain drug stores to pay into his new “Shape up San Francisco” program, which started this past summer with a walking regimen.

This comes as the state of California is considering slapping caffeine-infused sodas, and energy drinks with warning labels, saying consumption can contribute to diabetes

found by Aric Mackey



  1. the answer says:

    How hi a tax? In some states soda already has sales tax. If we had that information the story might be more interesting. Unfortunately I fear most yuppie California kids would just pay the tax

  2. Capt Calvin Calorie says:

    Tax the calories,
    tax the fats,

  3. Rakarich says:

    This is nothing new. Chicago (Cook county) has had this for years… and no one cares.

  4. tcc3 says:

    Demolition Man becomes less absurd every day. Soon all restaurants will be Taco Bell and citations given for swearing.

  5. Angus says:

    Cigarette Taxes, Alcohol taxes, now Sugar taxes, all under the guise of protecting the public well-being. Total BS, if the lawmakers were more interested in our well-being than in finding ways to take our money, they’d be banning these substances rather than taxing them.

  6. jbenson2 says:

    Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago,

    Accounts Receivable Tax
    Building Permit Tax
    CDL license Tax
    Cigarette Tax
    Corporate Income Tax
    Dog License Tax
    Excise Taxes
    Federal Income Tax
    Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
    Fishing License Tax
    Food License Tax
    Fuel Permit Tax
    Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
    Gross Receipts Tax
    Hunting License Tax
    Inheritance Tax
    Inventory Tax
    IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
    Liquor Tax
    Luxury Taxes
    Marriage License Tax
    Medicare Tax
    Personal Property Tax
    Property Tax
    Real Estate Tax
    Service Charge Tax
    Social Security Tax
    Road Usage Tax
    Sales Tax
    Recreational Vehicle Tax
    School Tax
    State Income Tax
    State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
    Telephone Federal Excise Tax
    Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
    Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
    Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
    Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
    Telephone State and Local Tax
    Telephone Usage Charge Tax
    Utility Taxes
    Vehicle License Registration Tax
    Vehicle Sales Tax
    Watercraft Registration Tax
    Well Permit Tax
    Workers Compensation Tax

    Our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

    What the hell happened?
    Can you spell “liberals!”

  7. old waterman says:

    Cigarette Taxes, Sugar taxes Since I do not use these products are ok by me. I prefer to pay the Scotch tax. I find these taxes real fair. User pays

  8. George Jetson says:

    Another tax, oh joy. It’s nice that a few people figured out a way to steal money from the other citizens in a legal sort of way.

    I now see why our founding fathers wrote all those cool rules in an effort to keep those at the top from taking advantage of everyone else.

    But over the years we fell asleep and they kept chipping away and now we work for them instead them working for the people. Yes I suppose we do get the government we deserve.

  9. Lake Neuron says:

    It would be interesting to see what happened if the ban did pass and was, as the story you quote indicates, specific to high-fructose corn syrup. I understand that there are areas in the northeast with high Jewish populations where Coca-Cola bottlers produce some supply of cane sugar-sweetened soda during passover (because the corn sweetener is not considered kosher for passover). Supposedly, you can identify it by the yellow bottlecaps. Would, or could, Bay Area bottlers switch back to cane sugar to avoid the tax? I guess it depends on the amount of the tax versus the cost difference between cane sugar and high-fructose corn sweetener.

  10. Acme says:

    Having visited SF last year…

    …why bother? Walking around that city burns zillions of calories. That *should* keep everyone from being obese.

  11. TVAddict says:

    According to the article on farm subsidies posted earlier on DU (too lazy to get the url) we are already subsidizing HFCS. What we need to do is stop subsidizing this shit and let the market straighten this out.

  12. OhForTheLoveOf says:

    #6 – What the hell happened?
    Can you spell “liberals!”

    Yes I can. Thank you for the tax money. Turns out my public education worked out quite well.

  13. Kevitivity says:

    Newsom is perhaps one of the worst “nanny state” leftists around.

  14. Angel H. Wong says:

    All I can think of is that all the fat, bald, middleaged gay men in SF are not happy with their diminishing supply of twinks.

  15. MikeN says:

    Wow, Mel Gibson and Arnold in one thread.

    ‘It’s tax, tax tax tax tax tax tax!’

    ‘Sugar tits’

  16. MikeN says:

    This is another way of getting more taxes from the poor and cutting taxes on the rich. In fact, the poor pay a larger share of their income as excises tax than any other group.

    http://tinyurl.com/yuvtlt

  17. TripHamer says:

    Isn’t it possible that illegal immigrants are partly responsible for the high medical costs? (I have nothing against them personally, people do what they go to do to surive and you can’t really blame them for that) I seriously doubt that taxing soda will do anything more than take a few more cents, per purchase, from taxpayers and put it into government coffers. It isn’t going to do anything to ease high medical costs.

    Just a thought.

  18. RickCain says:

    Its a states rights issue, people. Gripe as much as you want, but our Constitution provides for the States to have autonomy in most matters, and if California wants to tax sugary drinks, well its their deal.

    SF does have the most attractive and thin people. the main gripers come from the fat-butt red states who go to McDonalds and polish off their double quarter pounder meal with a chocolate shake and as a result all have “booty-do’s”.

  19. George Jetson says:

    #17 – TripHamer

    “Isn’t it possible that illegal immigrants are partly responsible for the high medical costs?”

    You have hit upon the real cause of the added costs. No matter how “progressive” in thought the government views itself we must remember that health care is a business. A business can’t continue to give away free services without eventually running into problems.

    Over-taxation is evil and should be fought at every turn. Some may not care about this one but if left unfettered good old nanny will eventually get around to something you do care about.

  20. Steve-O says:

    What’s wrong with everyone? Look at the nice set of breasts in the picture and forget the tax.


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