OT- Philadelphia passes soda tax the bastards
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I understand why people are hesitant to trust government, especially when it comes to taxes and money, and especially in a city with a government like Philadelphia's. However, the cigarette tax raised about $65 million for the district in its first year and helped plug its deficit, so it's a bit of a leap to just conclude that the money from the sugar tax will never impact the schools and will instead be used elsewhere. Is it suddenly going to make the schools flush with cash? Of course not. The hole is much too deep. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to fix the problem. I'll pay the extra pocket change each time I reach for a sugary beverage to help invest in education.
It plugged the deficit. How much of that deficit could have been plugged by reducing waste, fraud and inefficiency?
Hopefully it continues to keep them disinterested in all the alcohol I bring into the city.
Schools have already been combined here, buildings sold, etc. There were schools that didn't have nurses or counselors, that couldn't afford supplies. Things were, and in many cases still are, rough. This isn't a case of teachers driving around in their luxury vehicles and schools putting $219,000 conference tables in libraries. The inability of the state to pass a budget doesn't help either. Regardless, the beauty of this tax is this: If you disagree with it, either as a resident or a visitor, just drink water. Nobody's making you pay.
Bingo!!!
They piss away so much $$$$ it is obscene.
How about streamlining the budget before you ask for more?
It's a friggin joke....one party rule for 50+ years with union thugs as their muscle
How did the people of Asia and Russia, and now Venezuela under communism and socialism fare? Asking for a select few to run the lives of the many is suicide.
Amazing the young people of this country didn't pay attention in History class. Or is it, the select few are not teaching them on purpose? I find it deeply sad people want government control every aspect of their lives.
(I do feel taxation is a must to live in a full functional society. Just not to the degree persons become dependent on the state (see the results of my first line above)
I get it. I don't love being taxed either, but you're right, it's a necessity if we want society to flourish. However, I fundamentally disagree that asking you to pay $1.59 instead of $1.29 for a 20-ounce Snapple iced tea is the "government controlling every aspect of their lives." Nobody is forcing taxed sugary drinks down your throat, nor is anyone telling you that you can't drink your weight in high-fructose corn syrup each day. The entire thing is being blown slightly out of control, in my opinion, but of course, that seems to be par for the course these days.
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Assuming you used to live in the city and then moved to the suburbs, may I ask what caused you to leave?
Not talking about teachers driving around in luxury vehicles. Query, how many non-teaching administrators are now in the Philly schools system now and how many were there 25, 30, 50 years ago? I'm sure some it is the result of federal mandates (another subject I won't go into here), but how many are simply patronage employees or dead wood that should have weeded out (through retirement and not being replaced if through no other means) long ago? How many sweetheart deals are their with suppliers that jack up costs and may even lead to the shortages you refer to, either through patronage or union favoritism?
They should have legalized sports betting at Sugar House to see if Obama would stop a Democratic run city from so doing.
I don't know the answers to those questions, but given the coverage of the issue I believe it's safe to say those aren't major issues, at least, with the idea they'd be more the focus of the budget coverage as opposed to the lack of funding from the state. If there a number of the types of employees you're referencing, people would rightly be outraged, considering one of the only reasons the district is projected to end 2016 actually in a slight surplus is because it has 139 vacant teaching positions. They have a goal to hire 800 teachers for the next school year; I wouldn't hold my breath on that figure, but I have to imagine - getting back closer to the issue of taxes specifically - that the cigarette tax revenues will help the hiring process.
With all those casinos in Pennsylvania, where did all of those taxes go to? What is the tax rates for the casinos?
It'd be nice if Pennsylvania could follow Colorado's lead, as that could solve a number of funding issues, but voters in the middle of this state are a tough nut to crack.
ALot of the additional cost is the additional teacher aides and special needs teachers needed for austism and ADHD. This is on top of all the counselor and psychologists they now employ. My sister, a retired teacher, didn't like the 3 teachers per classroom but I guess if you have a special needs kid, you love it.
Understandable. Not to put words in your mouth, but I imagine the issue of schools played a role, and potentially a large one, in that thought process. If that was the case, you'd be like countless others who have left the city for similar reasons. The simple truth is, for Philadelphia's recent growth to be sustainable, improving the schools is priority 1 or 1A. For me, if a soda costs a few more cents, but it might help that situation, it's a trade-off I'm OK with. I understand people hate taxes and they seemingly never end, and I understand that people don't trust government to spend money wisely, so I do see the other side of the coin as well. I just think that, long term, if this city is going to flourish, anything it can do to invest in education, that isn't going to break residents' banks, is a positive.
But thats not the intent of the tax. Just a convenient selling point.
Mayor Kenney will be forced to ask Trump to build a wall around Philadelphia.
Ash might the better person to ask.
This morning he said that he will. This bill is officially dead. Let's see what comes next.
Because he's always so honest!
"Trump doesn't have the temperament to be President"
"It was a traffic study"
"Revel/Xanadu is a success worth of NJ taxpayer funds"
"I don't know who David Wildstein is"
"Sandy recovery is a success"
It's Christie, you know what comes next. We'll need to put Gibson Dunn on a 14M retainer to investigate the gas tax and calls to Christie's office will be directed to the wrist-twister who manages the gov when he delivers coffee to the bankrupter.
26% approval. Even Trump is laughing with his 30%!
Now now. How dare a city that the alt-right on this board never visits take steps to improve its schools?!
Government is for war and telling people who to marry, where to pee, border walls, and asking people at the airport the last time they had bacon . Not for fancy schmancy book learnin' and latte sippers at park!!!
I think you are missing the point
Philly is a mess when it comes to waste and inefficiency
I don't think it's a flawed thought process to question additional taxes when they historically mismanage what they already get
Who was President last balanced budget?
Reagan raised taxes. Never mind your BFF in Trenton. Shall we go through and list all the millions on fake investigations, bogus real estate investments, unneeded elections, corrupt employees, quixotic campaigns he cost us?
The head of every branch of the state government in Alabama is under investigation for corruption. The pecker checker bills in NC and MS are costing billions. The AGs in TX and FL are under multiple investigations for fraud. Kansas can't keep schools open. Wisconsin is at the bottom in wage and job growth.
California, with a Democratic supermajority, has a budget surplus.
But hey, your candidate will help. He can just declare the US bankrupt 4 times, not pay his vendors, and call America a billionaire because it pays no taxes!
Aside from you, the other board naysayers don't live there.
New Jersey's fiscal situation is a nightmare because of Republican "leadership" and few comment on that. The insane fare and toll rises NJ has faced are nothing more than a tax going towards not even mismanagement but lining the pockets of Christie's clique.
It is very hard to take some conservatives on this board seriously when they talk about taxation and then support (R)s who tax the crap out of their citizens with nothing to show for it.
Clinton, with his feet held to the fire by a Republican Congress and the tail wind of the tech bubble that produced 100-200 billion a year in extra taxes on capital gains.
That tired bromide again. If you're going to say it at least be accurate. The only tax RATE Reagan raised in 8 years was the tax on capital gains that was part of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 that also provided the largest reduction of tax rates on ordinary income in recent history. Corporate tax RATES were NEVER raised during the Reagan years, though there were loopholes closed in the 1982 legislation (TEFRA) hat has been used ever since (particularly on the net) to foist this propaganda.
True, with a 13.2% top tax rate (although they do allow the deduction of mortgage interest and charitable contributions). Not something I would look forward to.
Agree, Hillary and fellow liberals, make believe they
are looking after your health, but it is just another way to get government involved in any and every thing they can.
I like these threads, interesting view points all over. For me, all these taxes are stop gaps. I live in Chicago which has as bad, if not worse financial issues than NJ (Illinois that is). Be it small taxes here or there (soda) or selling off lucrative assets to stop bleeding (tolled roads/ parking). All of it is just band aids holding together a broken public employee system. Get a job at 22 making 40k retire at 47 with full benefits and pension? Until that system is fully and completely overhauled, expect many more taxes and increases to property taxes etc. Sorry if I derailed the thread. #endrant
I think it's a good thing. Why do you need to drink a bag of sugar at any given moment? It's disgusting. Just have a freaking beer. Taxing soda is no different than taxing cigarettes. If people are gonna ignore the price they will pay with their health, make the monetary amount they pay something they WILL notice.
Too many completely uneducated people in philly who do not understand the very basics of their basic healthcare. So we need to make them slow down in another before everyone loses their eyes to diabetes.
Too many completely uneducated people in philly who do not understand the very basics of their basic healthcare. So we need to make them slow down in another before everyone loses their eyes to diabetes.
If you think a glass of whole milk is similar to a glass of coke you're crazy. This is about the sugar, not the fat.
How about a government act like anyone else -- and if they want to build something or spend money on something that's not in the budget, something else has to go?
It was cigarettes -- ok , no one really needs to smoke. People cut back on cigarettes
Now its high sugar drinks -- well no one really needs them, they're just a treat, all the usual rationalizations
What's next?
It was cigarettes -- ok , no one really needs to smoke. People cut back on cigarettes
Now its high sugar drinks -- well no one really needs them, they're just a treat, all the usual rationalizations
What's next?
I'm right outside Philly and have been for the last 15 years except for a one year relo to Atlanta.
Hmmm, interesting response. Do fat people have any responsibility for their own health?
NJ is a heavily dem state. To suggest otherwise is stupid. Our fiscal situation is the result of decades, yes, even going to to Christy Todd, of democratic party catering to the public sector unions which has created an unsustainable fiscal situation in this state. POTUS has increased the national debt during his term, future presidents, assuming they are responsible, will spend decades digging out of this hole. Our Gov at least tried to rectify our budget but was largely opposed by the dem legislature.
