WTF?!?! A tax on nachos???

[NoPasaran]

Texans would pay more than 10 percent sales tax each time they buy cookies, popcorn, soda or other snack foods if the Legislature approves a revised tax bill passed by a House committee late Monday.

The bill is a new version of the tax-shift legislation that the House Ways and Means Committee passed last week. The committee reworked the bill after Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn's office said it would not raise as much money as House leaders projected.

Under the new version, a 3 percent snack tax — which lawmakers included specifically to target obesity — would be added to the general sales tax charged for those items.

The House bill also raises the general state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 7.25 percent, which would be the highest state rate in the country, and slightly more than what was approved last week.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared/tx/legislature/stories/03/8finance.html

I would prefer that the Lege consider a tax on idiotic, crackpot ideas. Then they could fund public education right out of their own pockets!

[crispini]

1. Hahahahahahahahaha! It's the FAT TAX!

Hey, we tax cigs almost a buck a pack. We tax alcohol extra too. Being obese impacts your health in the same way as excessive smoking or drinking. Why the hell not? It's just another type of sin tax.

And it's funny as hell.

[Lithos]

12. Hmmm

Something tells me though that Diet Sodas would also be included, even those not made with NutraSweet. Not unhealthy.

L-

[sonias]

2. Who's the single Dem that voted for that bill in committee?

Oh yeah an "obesity tax" is really going to work. The sin tax has been so effective in reducing those things right. This is just more punishment of the poor.

Where is the snack food lobby that should be complaining to the Legislature about this one. It's going to cost jobs. Frito-Lay is going to layoff people. Texas, balancing its budget on the backs of the poor. Well of course it is, the repukes like it that way.

Sonia

[NoPasaran]

4. This threatens our God-given right

To free chips and salsa in restaurants. Let 'em bring back Goodhair's titty tax.

[pnutchuck]

3. 'Bout time!

I'm tired of being leered at by fat asses while I'm smoking my cigarrette outside in the rain!

All joking aside, it really is shitty that they impose these "sin taxes" on the very people that can't afford them. Meanwhile, these SUV driving repukes drink their Japanese bottled water on their way to the latest musical or museum opening.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Yeah, well...

if you're broke, whaddaya doin' buying chips?

Once was a time broke people didn't buy fried potatoes at 15 bucks a pound, but got some cheap taters and fried 'em up themselves.

[pnutchuck]

6. The point is not that the poor should make their own snack food,

but that the rich seem to be exempt from these kinds of taxes all together. Granted, the poor are generally less educated about proper diet, but in general, snack food is cheaper than organically grown produce, steaks, chicken, eggs, and the like. Also, they seem to be far more susceptible to advertisements geared towards snack foods, at least in the pressures exerted by their children.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Yeah, I know...

I just didn't feel like finishing my rant.

We're selling a lot of stuff to people we shouldn't be selling stuff to. Cigarettes, lottery tickets, junk food... Look who spends money on this stuff. It's not the people making the real money off of it.

Instead of taking the poor who want to get out of it and teaching them how to save their money and move up, we're selling them shit that keeps them down there.

[sonias]

8. No one wants to talk about the real finance solution

Income Tax. Well except for Rep. Eddie Rodriguez who can see the solution clearly.

It's more fair i.e. less regressive, more stable and it's the right thing to do for the common good of Texas society.
http://www.texastaxrelief.com/about.php


Sonia

[Castilleja]

13. Yes, I think the time has come for it

but not in addition to the same property tax we have now. In exchange for all or part of it.

[CitySky]

9. This is a very regressive tax option.

First consider which foods will and won't get taxed. How much do you want to bet that the family that takes the kids to Ben & Jerry's for $4 ice cream cones won't get taxed, because it's a restaurant? But the family that can't afford those prices and instead picks up a half-gallon of the store brand ice cream for everyone to share pays the tax.

A person who eats brie on french bread for a snack won't get taxed, but a person who eats Doritos will.

Then consider "snack foods" overall as a percentage of income. Negligible for the wealthy, not-so-negligible for the poor.

Yeah, maybe people "should" eat more vegetables and fewer candy bars, but this tax will only further inequalities. thumbs down from smoked-salmon-eating me.

[derby378]

10. "Read my lips..."

Oh, God. We're actually thinking of adopting California-style popcorn taxes. We are so screwed.

[GOPisEvil]

11. More regressive taxation from the idiots under the dome.

Hey dopes, it's time: income tax. At least it's SOMEWHAT progressive in nature.

Criminy!