Red-Light Cameras Not So Special?
Cubs Combat Casino
The Return of The Chicagoist Reader Meet-Up
County Sales Tax Rollback Vetoed - Here We Go Again
PHOTOS: Peaches And Amanda Blank At Metro
As if we needed another tax, a group of dentists are descending upon Springfield with the hopes of adding a five percent tax to soda. The Illinois State Dental Society says it would use the proceeds from the tax to help fund a dental program that serves the state's poorer residents. According to the group's Greg Johnson, the extra proceeds would help cover costs for dentists, hopefully encouraging more dentists to participate. He told WBBM, "This is one that we think, because of the sugar in soft drinks and the acid and effects on teeth, that it would be a nice tie in because it is related." The City of Chicago already has a three percent soda tax. [WBBM]
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebookTips
Contribute
Latest Tip:
NYT article detailing how the city will spend all of the money from the parking meter lease by 2010.
[more]
How about we add a 5% tax on income of dentists who think their knowledge of teeth/gums entitles them to be considered experts on taxation? We can use the proceeds to help people who work in the beverage industry become more efficient, as they won't be losing their jobs due to yet another anti-jobs tax in Illinois.
Besides, wouldn't dentists want people to have bad teeth, thereby giving them additional patients and income? Economic downturns are terrible for dentists, as dental work becomes a luxury item when budgets have to be cut.
Actually, according to NPR, some dentists are seeing more business as people are grinding their teeth at night because of stress and anxiety. I guess more people need mouth guards and some are cracking their teeth.
So with this tax, in Chicago, soda would be taxed at a rate of like 18%? No thanks. Sorry dentists.
So this is just a tax on soda? Does that mean pop is still untaxed?
regional phrases. ugh. I grew up referring to all of it as "Coke." I've heard pop, soda, soda pop, etc.
I heard diet soda wasn't included b/c of its lack of sugar. I think its absurd. . .if you're going to do this, only fair to tax every product with sugar in it. So, if you add sugar to your starbucks, it should apply.
As an avid soda drinker. . this is DUMB.
What about fast food tax, frozen dinner tax, potato chip tax, candy tax, cooking oil tax, ground beef tax, frozen burrito tax, frozen pizza tax, anything that "isn't healthy" tax........................................................
Oh wait, doesn't the states poorest already qualify for free dental insurance!
Ooohh, a burrito tax? I would have to march against that one...