John Klar: Boston Proposes Regressive Sugar Tax

The unintended consequences of the nanny state.

Boston’s City Council is weighing a tax on sugary drinks to improve health, advance equity, and increase its coffers by tens of millions of dollars a year. Such progressive policies seek revenue in the name of rescue but inevitably inflict more significant inequities on the marginalized communities they purport to serve. A sugar tax is a regressive sin tax on the victims instead of the true sinners.

KSK: Will They or Won’t They?

The sweet-talking tax on sugar

The issue was raised in the Leaders’ Debate amongst issues of the economy, of increasing crime, of education: what about a sugar tax or banning fizzy drinks?

Bob Edlin: The case for a sugar tax is sweetened if NZIER report is overlooked

When Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand would  not join the countries that are signing up for a war against drugs – as championed by US President Donald Trump – she said her government has an agenda that is focused on addressing issues around drug use.

“We have a number of challenges that are quite specific to New Zealand and the type of drugs that are present, but also I’m taking a health approach.

“We want to do what works, so we are using a strong evidence-base to do that.”

Whether she will similarly use a strong evidence base to decide on how to reduce sugar consumption is a moot point.