Comments on: Paying the Price for Smoking http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:33:14 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: What DC Needs: A Good Taco Bell | Washington D.C. Metblogs http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13838 What DC Needs: A Good Taco Bell | Washington D.C. Metblogs Fri, 16 May 2008 16:53:47 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13838 [...] I’m not really a proponent of fast food intake on a regular basis (and am all for a fast food tax), I do love me some Taco [...] [...] I’m not really a proponent of fast food intake on a regular basis (and am all for a fast food tax), I do love me some Taco [...]

]]> By: Carl Weaver http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13837 Carl Weaver Fri, 16 May 2008 16:28:56 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13837 This tax would make more sense if it were going into health care coffers, but just to make up the shortfall in the budget? How about reducing costs in city government? How about having a luxury tax on high-priced hookers brought in from other states? Can we do that instead? This tax would make more sense if it were going into health care coffers, but just to make up the shortfall in the budget? How about reducing costs in city government? How about having a luxury tax on high-priced hookers brought in from other states? Can we do that instead?

]]> By: Max http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13826 Max Thu, 15 May 2008 17:14:18 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13826 It doesn't matter if you love their sandals, you will be taxed. Oh wait, but only if you buy them in DC. If you buy them in VA just make sure you only wear them in VA. It doesn’t matter if you love their sandals, you will be taxed. Oh wait, but only if you buy them in DC. If you buy them in VA just make sure you only wear them in VA.

]]> By: Tom Bridge http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13825 Tom Bridge Thu, 15 May 2008 16:57:42 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13825 For the creepy-ass day-glo clogs? Yes, yes yes. I love their thong-sandals though, super comfy in the summertime. For the creepy-ass day-glo clogs? Yes, yes yes.

I love their thong-sandals though, super comfy in the summertime.

]]> By: Max http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13824 Max Thu, 15 May 2008 16:45:14 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13824 Absolutely. I'm all for a fast food tax and a tax on bullets as well. There should be a tax added on to the sale of Crocs too because they cause bleeding of the eyes. Absolutely. I’m all for a fast food tax and a tax on bullets as well. There should be a tax added on to the sale of Crocs too because they cause bleeding of the eyes.

]]> By: Tom Bridge http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13822 Tom Bridge Thu, 15 May 2008 15:42:32 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13822 Given that 400,000 people die each year in the US from smoking-related ailments (<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/factsheets/cig_smoking_mort.htm" rel="nofollow">)1</a>) and an estimated cost of $161B (<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/Factsheets/economic_facts.htm" rel="nofollow">2</a>) per year...I'd say the tax isn't entirely unwarranted. Interestingly enough, you might be on to something in terms of taxing unhealthy food, as the cost of obesity per year is approximately $117B (<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/faq.htm#costs" rel="nofollow">3</a>) Perhaps the best place to tax this is at the fast-food level? Tack on a 2% tax for fast food and put it into state medicaid and medicare coffers? I mean, gluttony's a sin, too, right? Given that 400,000 people die each year in the US from smoking-related ailments ()1) and an estimated cost of $161B (2) per year…I’d say the tax isn’t entirely unwarranted.

Interestingly enough, you might be on to something in terms of taxing unhealthy food, as the cost of obesity per year is approximately $117B (3) Perhaps the best place to tax this is at the fast-food level? Tack on a 2% tax for fast food and put it into state medicaid and medicare coffers?

I mean, gluttony’s a sin, too, right?

]]> By: Max http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13820 Max Thu, 15 May 2008 14:51:08 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13820 There should totally be an Olive Garden Tax! And those damn unhealthy bread sticks should no longer be free. Your income tax should be based on how healthy you are too, so if you run/ride/walk 10 miles a day you pay nothing, but if you sit on the couch, eat Cheeto's, and drink PBR then you should be subjected to a 50% tax rate because you are a disgrace to society. /sarcasm There should totally be an Olive Garden Tax! And those damn unhealthy bread sticks should no longer be free.

Your income tax should be based on how healthy you are too, so if you run/ride/walk 10 miles a day you pay nothing, but if you sit on the couch, eat Cheeto’s, and drink PBR then you should be subjected to a 50% tax rate because you are a disgrace to society.

/sarcasm

]]> By: yospyn http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13819 yospyn Thu, 15 May 2008 14:40:38 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13819 So you would be double taxed, because you eat all that shit too. Imagine if they taxed Olive Garden! So you would be double taxed, because you eat all that shit too. Imagine if they taxed Olive Garden!

]]> By: Tax » Paying the Price for Smoking http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/comment-page-1/#comment-13817 Tax » Paying the Price for Smoking Thu, 15 May 2008 14:39:08 +0000 http://dc.metblogs.com/2008/05/15/paying-the-price-for-smoking/#comment-13817 [...] Washington D.C. Metblogs wrote an interesting post today on Paying the Price for SmokingHere’s a quick excerpt The D.C. Council decided on Tuesday that in order to make up for a $35 million budget shortfall they would increase the tax on cigarettes by $1, bringing it up to $2/pack. That will put us in a tie with Arizona, Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, and Michigan for one of the highest “state” tax rates on cigarettes. Oh right, we’re not a state. We just pay an exorbitant amount of taxes. How easily I forget such silly things. So what is the Council’s message here? My only guess is this: Peop [...] [...] Washington D.C. Metblogs wrote an interesting post today on Paying the Price for SmokingHere’s a quick excerpt The D.C. Council decided on Tuesday that in order to make up for a $35 million budget shortfall they would increase the tax on cigarettes by $1, bringing it up to $2/pack. That will put us in a tie with Arizona, Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, and Michigan for one of the highest “state” tax rates on cigarettes. Oh right, we’re not a state. We just pay an exorbitant amount of taxes. How easily I forget such silly things. So what is the Council’s message here? My only guess is this: Peop [...]

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