People's Republic of Boulder: "Sugary Drink Tax"

"food"?

It's drinks, you know, like beer and whiskey. Do you have a problem with alcohol regulations?

How many diet cokes do you put down a day Face?

Sugary beverages are not "food" by anyone's definition, have no nutritional value, and kill off a large number of people each year through obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.   If they can tax beer and wine, its well within the government's police power to tax soda pop.

>> So you're saying it's not a tax on Coca-Cola, Gatorade, etc?

No, I'm saying you're an idiot.

lol

"idiot"

>> What is the "yardstick" to make such determinations?

I'd guess it's well detailed in the written law.

Perhaps, natural sweeteners are given a nod over HFCS, etc.

they just passed a similar measure in cook county ( chicago and neighboring suburbs). doesnt really affect me since i only drink beer wine water and coffee. if theres a bottle of oban single malt around i'm game too.

Just wait till "they" invent the smart toilet. 

Then the insurance "companies" can "charge" you based on your "food", "drinking", and "drug" "choices."

I don't get the title is China at the forefront of the sugary-drink tax crusade? I thought they ran people over with tanks and stuff. 

Well, if it's that sugary, then the tax applies. Such a shame that something as "heady" as kombucha gets pigeon-holed with Mtn Dew. 

I can't stand the smell, let alone the taste, of kombucha, so I'm all for it.

https://youtu.be/FMv3sh8gAc8

if you drink soda pop you're part of the problem

Good source of more money TO BUILD THAT WALL!!!

80 % Of Stuff at Stores IS Poison !  Sugar and Processed !

Did you ever keep a food "diary" face?

there is a special tax on soda in Philadelphia.  Little controversial.

Tax the sugar sellers up front per ton. Then all sugar products are taxed before they are made. Also the price of sugar goes up. The consumer will hardly notice. And the sugar mafia will find a way to profit off the higher price at market. The stockholders will be overjoyed. 

Tax the dealer not the user...

Sugar is one of the cheapest ingredients that goes into food. It's not so much that they want to make it sweet, they want to get the weight up.  

Of course, I don't support taxation of this form but if you are going to do it, do it right.

>>>>>>Agreed re: "fairness"

life isn't fair

Life is not fair to the little girls with lemonade stands in Boulder, CO.

Extra tax on your root beer.

Nothing like a good physics analogy.

I would say that life is more like "the theory of everything"

>>>>>this is a regressive tax that will hurt the poor the most

If people (including poor people) quit drinking soda it will be an immense help to society.

>> Forget about little girls with lemonade, this is a regressive tax that will hurt the poor the most

There aren't many poor people in Boulder, other than the transient homeless and/or CU undergrads, and fuck them amirite?

I like an ice cold flavored Pellegrino. Lots of sugar. 

I also like a flavored La Croix.

I also like a little sour soda in my light beers.

>>>>>>> What is the "yardstick" to make such determinations?

Yup, those Chrissy Columbus statues hafta GO!!!!!!!

`>Good source of more money TO BUILD THAT WALL!!!

The taxes on cigs, boozes, sugar, and pot should go 100% to offset healthcare cost in this country, in fact not only offset, but make it free for all americans

>>>>>Of course, I don't support taxation of this form

Me neither. The only taxes I support are based on income.

It's not a regressive tax, that will only affect the poor.
Sugar is a drug. And drugs can be regulated.

I agree that the approach is backwards and simplistic.
A more appropriate means would be a surtax on such beverages sold in Boulder, payed by the companies that produce them.
If you wanna sell your shit product in our town, then you will help compensate us for the threat to health that you product ensures.

That cost would, of course, be passed on to the consumer. It's amazing how many fewer people have the means to smoke, when cigs are $9 a pack intead of $2.

Soda has done a vast amount of measurable damage to our country & cicizens. If the poor can still afford soda, then the tax isn't high enough.

There should be a Kombucha tax. Kombucha =gentrification. 

Is it really the gov't's job to change behavior through taxes?

I say no.

The poors suck. Go away, poor fucks. 

Time for some black market soda pop 

FDA?

what surfdead said

>>>>>>Is sugar first and foremost a "drug" or a "food"?  Be honest.

A drug.

Have you ever suffered a closed head injury?

sweet thread

Same amount of sugar and ibuprofen?

If someone was literally starving it would make no difference if it was sugar or ibuprofen.

The teenagers in the photo are sharing spit germs.

I think Junk is on to something! If they are gonna tax these types things for the public health, then take the monies and invest in our healthcare directly.  Dont just tax to deter use. Cant see that working.

psst buddy, got some tax free fanta over here, straight from the next county,grape lemon-lime, orange whatever you need. good stuff

If your talking about refined sugar, then either.

Fanjul bothers.

Sugar is an additive.

You don't eat sugar on it's own just like you don't eat salt.

>>>>>>Flour is an additive.

Flour is a grain.

Refined flour, much like refined sugar is pretty much junk.  Though refined flour would be better than sugar for your hypothetical starving backcountry self rescue scenario.

Cigs, booze, and obesity contribute the most burden on health care, why shouldn't the taxes on these products go to health care? I throw pot and maybe some car taxes in there too for good measure.

I dont want to regulate what people stuff into their bodies I would just like them to offset the cost for the rest of us. Let johnny go ahead and eat his 4 cheese burgers

If you think sugar is a food then see how long u last on just sugar and water. 

Keep us updated 

Salt is actually more essential for health than sugar

Should they tax fat? 

bad food is cheap.

most 'mericans are poor to semi-poor.

corporations are amoral and will put the cheapest shit into their products

= fat 'mericans.

so sugary drinks will be taxed but not candy? what about fruit juice, which can often contain more sugar than a "sugary drink"? what about alcoholic drinks that also have sugar? will they now be subject to taxes on alcohol AND taxes on sugary drinks?

its a real issue in these liberal cities with local governments imposing taxes left and right to try and funnel people into living the lifestyle they think is right, while many of these same people are struggling to pay the bills in cities where the local government wants to regulate sugar but refuses to regulate the cost of renting or buying homes.

I don't care about being right or wrong on the internet, face.

Refined sugar is not a food. It's an entirely unnecessary ingredient.

The other side of the coin, is that liberal cities with (gasp) local governments, may try to legislate protecting their citizens from predatory, destructive buisiness practices; regarding corporations that are beholden to shareholders instead of citizens.

If you don't agree, don't live in Boulder. They don't fucking need you, that's for sure.

Big Gulp

..if you don't like sugar don't ingest it.

The Sugar Police. Geez.

If you don't agree, don't live in Boulder. They don't fucking need you, that's for sure.<<<

the more rural areas southwest of denver seem like a much nicer and more affordable place to live...ive scoped out living situations when i travel for shows in case a cannabis job comes up out there...broomfeild thru boulder was easy to cross off the list for me...not rural enough, not urban enough, to much berkeley vibe

so yeah, wasnt planning on living there, i was just responding to OP's request for opinions on the matter...no need to get your panties in a wad. some people have different opinions and worldviews than you do, and im sure many of them live in (gasp) the same city as you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9nE2spOw_o

Are all coffee drinks taxed by this?

>>>>>not sure how this would apply to some hip coffee shop in Boulder like Ozo or the Laughing Goat?  Would there be no tax if the drink as delivered didn't cross this threshold, yet customer then proceeds to add 6 spoonfuls of sugar from the "coffee condiment bar"? 

If that's hard for you to figure out I'm not too surprised you're always puzzled about stuff.

>>>>>Are you suggesting this tax measure is even handed and consistent?

No, I'm saying the tax is on drinks and not packets of sugar so it shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

5 cents an oz does not sound like much. Though the reality is it can almost double your $ amount for a purchase.

If you buy a 99 cent 16 oz sugary drink, then the tax is 16 X 5 = 80 cents.

So 99 cents for product and 80 cents for tax. Many were walking out from the grocery store with no sugary drinks.

You can go to superior and broomfield (next towns over) and buy the same item and not get charged the tax.

Last week article in boulder paper the tax is generating about 1/2 of what it was suppose to. My

take on that is people are buying it elsewhere then boulder or not buying as much.

Your Starbucks drink may have 25 spoons of sugar in it

http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/17/news/companies/sugar-coffee-drinks/index...

Did you figure out if sugar packets are considered a drink yet?

Every Payroll  deduct 1.00 dollar off everybody's paycheck.

Use the funds to fight sugar.

there should be a sugar tax to encourage people to stop drinking and eating things that are going to prematurely put you into the hospital and kill you.

just like there should be a tax on cocaine. 

"but should the state have ANY authority over taxation differences on food based on nutrition or lack thereof?"

No, but folks like you have opened that door and now you want it closed? 

Good luck with that.  Perhaps someday you'll realize that government has a voracious appetite that can't be controlled once it's set loose.

There should be a sugar tax to encourage people to stop drinking and eating things that are going to prematurely put you into the hospital and kill you>>>

Absolutely, children are sick with obesity, heart disease & diabetes before they're old enough to drive.  Parents can't just say no anymore?

Adults? Act like it, clean up your diet, the information and warnings are out there. Eat less and move around more.

Your stupid decisions on what and how much to eat and not to exercise are making you sick and raising my health insurance costs.