• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Fast tax is coming soon

CBL4

Master Poster
C
Joined
Nov 11, 2003
Messages
2,346
Whenever we discuss prohibition of drugs, some (often me) beings up the obvious comparison of the harmful effect of drugs and fast food. Well fast food is not being prohibited (yet) but the move is afoot to tax the hell out of it.

In an effort to curb a looming $300 million budget deficit, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick last month floated what he called a "different budget than has ever been presented to our city council."

The budget includes a proposed 2 percent tax applicable to fast-food restaurants, among other items that would generate additional revenue for the city.
Click to expand...
http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/09/news/economy/fastfood_tax/index.htm?cnn=yes

This tax is on top the restaurant tax. My local paper said it was 6% in Detroit but the article does not give a rate.

CBL
 
Even if one accepts the unhealthyness of fast food as a good reason for the tax, which is iffy in itself, why does it single out fast food? It's not as if the food that one gets at any regular restaraunt is any better for you. I suspect that the people who fund his campaign will bitch if their steak and lobster begins to cast more, though. Can't have that.
 
My local paper said it was 6% in Detroit but the article does not give a rate.
Click to expand...
Actually it does.

From the CNN article:
Kilpatrick's proposed fast-food tax would be in addition to the 6 percent general restaurant tax
Click to expand...
More from the article:
Defining what is and isn't 'fast-food' per se is a difficult task in itself.
Click to expand...
That worries me too. I believe MacDonalds fries its fries in vegetable oil, and since fries are made of potatoes they are packed with vitamin C. So it should not be so hard to reclassify it as healthfood.
But why should consumers who occasionally go there be penalized? Something like this has the potential of a massive public backlash.
Click to expand...
Here mr. Sepp contradicts himself. People who only rarely eat fastfood will not massively protest an extra 2 cents when they do. So there is no potential of massive public backlash from people who are 'penalised' a very tiny bit.
 
Nyarlathotep said:
Even if one accepts the unhealthyness of fast food as a good reason for the tax, which is iffy in itself, why does it single out fast food?
Click to expand...

Oh, don't worry about that. It won't be the only category taxed for long.
 
If we tax political speech by pundits and elected officials we can solve any budget problem.
 
In Seattle (or maybe all of Washington State) a representative tried to have a "plastic surgery" tax.

She was interviewed by a talk show host. She explained how that people who wanted plastic surgery were vain and rich and did not really need it. The host ask her if she wore make-up and was it necessary or was it for vanity?. Then he asked her about why she wore such nice clothes. Why should botox be taxed and not eyeliner? All she could do was hem and haw.

BTW, I think the tax failed here but apparently it passed in New Jersey.
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news_...ey-Plastic-Surgery-Tax-Sets-Bad-Precedent.cfm

CBL
 
CBL4 said:
Whenever we discuss prohibition of drugs, some (often me) beings up the obvious comparison of the harmful effect of drugs and fast food. Well fast food is not being prohibited (yet) but the move is afoot to tax the hell out of it.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/09/news/economy/fastfood_tax/index.htm?cnn=yes

This tax is on top the restaurant tax. My local paper said it was 6% in Detroit but the article does not give a rate.

CBL
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's exactly what Detroit needs. Another reason for businesses to pull out and leave the slums to crumble as the welfare rolls grow. I'd love to see anyone, democrat or republican, explain how the dollars gained will offset the jobs lost.

Good job, Detroit.

Idiots.
 
Re: Re: Fast tax is coming soon

Jocko said:
Yeah, that's exactly what Detroit needs. Another reason for businesses to pull out and leave the slums to crumble as the welfare rolls grow. I'd love to see anyone, democrat or republican, explain how the dollars gained will offset the jobs lost.

Good job, Detroit.

Idiots.
Click to expand...

It's very simple. Tax dollars gained or lost have nothing to do with it. What is important is votes. He's banking on the increase in votes he gets by appearing to do something (not I said "appearing to do something" not "doing something") about obesity in this country will offset those lost from disgruntled fast food workers and/or the unemployed who would want those jobs. Those people don't vote much anyway.

See, it's simple math.
 
Re: Re: Re: Fast tax is coming soon

Nyarlathotep said:
He's banking on the increase in votes he gets by appearing to do something (not I said "appearing to do something" not "doing something") about obesity in this country will offset those lost from disgruntled fast food workers and/or the unemployed who would want those jobs.
Click to expand...
If politicians really wanted to do something about obesity, why don't they bypass the middleman - McDonald's - and just put an extra tax on fat people?
 
Re: Re: Fast tax is coming soon

Jocko said:
Yeah, that's exactly what Detroit needs. Another reason for businesses to pull out and leave the slums to crumble as the welfare rolls grow. I'd love to see anyone, democrat or republican, explain how the dollars gained will offset the jobs lost.

Good job, Detroit.

Idiots.
Click to expand...

You just limit that name calling to those that actually voted for Kwame, mister.

Mr. Kilpatrick must be feeling awfully good about his re-election chances. This dispite all of his recent scandals involving the various ways in which the "Hip-Hop" mayor has wasted and misused tax dollars. He has the biggest posse of bodyguards of any mayor in the U.S. and they are all his high school and college boo-eees.
Our local media has been hammering away at him at an accelerated pace for a few months now because one of his bodyguards assaulted a reporter on camera. The only way he's going to be re-elected is if nobody normal steps up. By normal I mean someone not named Sharon McPhale.
 
CBL4 said:
Whenever we discuss prohibition of drugs, some (often me) beings up the obvious comparison of the harmful effect of drugs and fast food. Well fast food is not being prohibited (yet) but the move is afoot to tax the hell out of it.
Click to expand...

Charlotte already has a "dine-in" tax, a tax on top of the sales tax that you pay at restaurants. The stupid thing is, it doesn't apply to take-out orders. I'm at a complete loss to understand it.
 
Re: Re: Re: Fast tax is coming soon

DaChew said:
The only way he's going to be re-elected is if nobody normal steps up.
Click to expand...
Good luck. Two words: Marion Barry.

D.C.'s mayor caught on film snorting coke. Went to prison. Skipped one mayoral election, then ran again, was re-elected. Finally left office, then got elected to the D.C. city council last year.
 
Evanston, Illinois, once banned fast food restaurants. For all I know, they still do, but I haven't been there since I broke up with my girlfriend who lived there, and that was in 1984.

Anyway, the way they distinguished "fast food" from any other food was that fast food was prepared food delivered on premises in a carry out container.

So, when you went to Burger King in Evanston, and you ordered " to go" , they would give you a tray, and put the bag next to the food on the tray. By law, they could not put the food directly in the bag.

I think laws like this are a bit silly, but on the other hand, Evanston did have a slightly different, and rather pleasant, character as a result of these laws. Burger King still operated, but there were fewer fast food restaurants, presumably because the restrictions made operation more difficult. I'm not sure that was a good thing, but it had an effect. Still, I would be opposed to any such law.

Come to think of it, I've been opposed to almost everything that Mayor Kilpatrick has done since he was elected. I don't like the guy much at all.
 
Now, granted, this is a stupid idea. But I can't help but think people are overreacting just a weensy little bit.

Does anyone really think massive number of job cuts are going to result because people have to pay an extra 15 cents for their Xtra Valu Meel?
 
Originally posted by CleonDoes anyone really think massive number of job cuts are going to result because people have to pay an extra 15 cents for their Xtra Valu Meel?
Click to expand...
Yes, it all adds up. Warning: anecdote ahead.

I was living in Oregon when the voters decided to have have the highest minimum wage laws in the country. For about three years straight the minimum wage went up 10-15% in July, and, not coincidentally, every July I would notice a big increase in restaurant prices.

Before the prices went up, I was going to a great fast food Mexican restaurant about 3 times a week. After the prices went up 40%, I was only going once or twice because my salary only went up about 10%. I was priced out of my favorite fast food.

CBL
 
Nyarlathotep said:
Even if one accepts the unhealthyness of fast food as a good reason for the tax, which is iffy in itself, why does it single out fast food?
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Cigarettes and liquor have long been singled out for extra taxes. Pssshh! 2 percent, even 6 percent, is nothing!
 
Re: Re: Fast tax is coming soon

shanek said:
Charlotte already has a "dine-in" tax, a tax on top of the sales tax that you pay at restaurants. The stupid thing is, it doesn't apply to take-out orders. I'm at a complete loss to understand it.
Click to expand...

Probably because there is no difference between the chicken you carry out of a restaurant and the pre-cooked chicken you carry out of a supermarket.
 
CBL4 said:
Yes, it all adds up. Warning: anecdote ahead.

I was living in Oregon when the voters decided to have have the highest minimum wage laws in the country. For about three years straight the minimum wage went up 10-15% in July, and, not coincidentally, every July I would notice a big increase in restaurant prices.

Before the prices went up, I was going to a great fast food Mexican restaurant about 3 times a week. After the prices went up 40%, I was only going once or twice because my salary only went up about 10%. I was priced out of my favorite fast food.

CBL
Click to expand...

That's not even an applicable anecdote. Your price went up 40%--which, unless my math skills have deteriorated a little, is a good bit more than 2%. That's it. A $6.00 fast food meal will now cost $6.12. If that's pricing people out of eating there, chances are pretty good they shouldn't be eating out in the first place. (As opposed to your example, where the price would now be $8.40.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom