While I know New York state is in a financial mess, I can’t help but think that some of the ideas our governor is proposing to get us back on track are absurd.
Mainly what bothers me are two of the more recent concepts to tax all sodas that aren’t diet, and to tax gym memberships.
He says the tax on regular sodas will help fight obesity. Wrong. Studies have shown that diet sodas can actually lead to obesity. All he need do is google the term “diet soda” to read up on the facts gathered over the last few years. Diet soda is not a health drink nor is it a cure for weight loss. Links found on mayoclinic.com, WebMD.com, getfitslowly.com and waterforlifeusa.com, all address health issues associated with drinking diet sodas and sodas in general.
If you want to combat obesity, Gov. Paterson, put a tax on all junk food. Please, either you or a staff member, do some homework so you don’t send out the wrong message to the public, or to yourself, for that matter.
As for taxing gym memberships, does anyone see the irony? How can you be on a mission to promote good health, then tax those of us who are willing and able to exercise?
I understand the state’s budget crisis, and I wouldn’t want to be in our governor’s shoes right now – he does have a fine mess to clean up. It’s a good thing that, just in November, he purchased a lavish $20,000 antique Turkish rug to keep himself from stepping in anything else left at the mansion. Ah, but shopping always does make you feel better about things. It’s just too bad he couldn’t have purchased American rug, you know, to support our economy.
I sincerely hope that by spring our government is able to identify solutions, based on sound rationale, to a potential $15 billion state deficit that all New York residents will feel at one time or another. Don’t do something just because you can.
Extravagance combined with desperate measures makes for an ugly state in which to live.
