Games Tax To Fund Obesity Prevention?

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to an AP/Yahoo story discussing a New York State proposal to tax videogames, and use the money to prevent obesity. According to the article, "..the 1 percent tax hike proposed by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz would apply to junk food, video games and television commercials, which Ortiz blames on New York's growing obesity problem. Ortiz, a Democrat, did not rule out proposing tax increases on other things that he believes contribute to obesity." Fortunately, the proposal is believed to have a "slim chance" of passing into law.

Comments

That's a reach

[anon*127.0.0.1]

Video games cause obesity, so we'll tax them? Give me a break. I can think of a few other things have a much more direct effect on a persons body weight. Like, I dunno, food for example? I think it could be proven that the more food you eat, the more likely you are to be obese. Especially fast food.. why not tax that?

As if that's where the money would go

[Kris_J]

Has anyone got any example of a tax where the money was supposed to have a predefined definition and it actually went there, rather than just into the general pool to be spent on junkets and million dollar superannuation?

I live in NY

[phantomlord]

In a state facing a $12 billion deficit, don't the lawmakers have a responsibility to balance the budget rather than create new ways to spend money? The legislature is already adding new taxes left and right to try to cover the deficit, but I have a much more novel approach taken from my own life. When you don't make enough money to pay the bills, quit wasting money. That's right... cut spending on frivilous stuff, even if it means pissing someone off. Pay your critical expenses and cut the fluff.

Of course, that wouldn't ever fly. Once a program is created, it can never be terminated lest someone get mad that their pet project or special entitlement evaporate. Let's just waste more money since we can always rob the people^W^W^Wraise taxes^Wour income by force^W^Wlater.

Television HAS To Go First Here

[Babbster]

There's no question in my mind that the biggest cause of sedentary lifestyles in this country is the good old idiot box. And I'm not talking about the people who build televisions because RCA, Toshiba, Zenith, et. al. couldn't care less whether you ever turned on your TV after you purchase it, but rather commercial televison networks which make billions of dollars every year trying as hard as they can to get as many people as possible to watch as much of their programming as possible, preferably while eating a McDonald's hamburger accompanied by a bag of Nacho Cheesier Doritos and a Coke (or a Budweiser - they're not THAT picky).

More direct approach

[misuba]

How about a tax on foods of which more than 50% of the caloric content is provided by carbohydrates and sugars?

But then, the grain growers have actual lobbyists even at the state level, whereas video game producers couldn't find a domed, white building with hacked in-game radar and a 17" monitor.

Write to him.

[Anonymous Coward]

Web site

Assemblyman Felix Ortiz
404 55th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220

Advice from a skinny person to fat people:

The solution to overcoming obesity is very, very simple: STOP EATING SO MUCH. Put down that cheeseburger, lard-ass. I have no sympathy for you. Eating makes you larger. It's that simple.

(1) See a doctor. Follow his advice, not mine - I am not a doctor and am not going to be in any way responsible if you die after following my instructions.

(2) Eat moderately sized healthy meals, 3 times a day. Lots of vegetables.

(3) Don't eat between meals. I mean it. Put down that donut. No chips for you. If you must snack, no more than twice a day - and eat fruit instead of crap.

(4) If the grease on your food turns your napkin transparent - don't eat it. It's bad for you. Delivery pizza is not a health food, neither are 50% of the foods in the frozen section of your supermarket.

(5) The simplest foods tend to be the most healthy - and easy to prepare. eg: fruit, meat (grilled), rice.

(6) Exercise. Go for a walk. Take the stairs. I'm not saying go for a 4-mile run just yet (I think it's enjoyable, but you will probably die if you're super-fat). Baby steps. Or horrible huge lurching, waddling steps in your case.

If you don't follow the above and die as a result of being fat - I could not care less. Get the hell out of the gene pool.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand:

This "game tax" is a laughable excuse for raising government money. I'm amazed at the lengths that politicians will go to when they want to weasel some extra money out of the populace without admitting to it. So they pick on those they consider a minority - enough to raise the money they want, but not enough to piss off their core block of voters. All under the guise of "helping" the consumer.

They tax you when you earn it, tax you when you spend it. Personal grudges against certain segments of the media are not exactly professional. First games but then what? A special tax on movies? Television? Books? All are equally likely to make someone sit down for a bit.

Re:Why not add a tax on fuel

[KMAPSRULE]

THis would probably backfire and people would become even more obese as now all they would do is stay home and watch TV. Seriously, have you ever been to a Government housing complex where the majority of the people have no cars?? There is usually a store within a block or 2 of the Complex so that people really dont have to walk that far and Comparatively speaking the people in these complexes tend to be a lot more obese on average than people living in an area where the majority of people have cars.

The other insidious side affect of "slapping on a huge tax increase" to gasoline is to really hurt the economy...especially businesses that run fleets of vehicles, and it really hurts the average Joe in the rural areas where many people may be commuting long distances to get to work (there is no public transportation system in the sticks--I know first hand I grew up in the sticks).

Taxation is never the answer cause there is no such thing as our Gvmt. "living within their means" especially in NYS

And as for pollution why aren't the car manufactures being given huge incentives to make the 100+mpg engines? and to make the Hybrid cars more affordable?? I would love a hybrid, just cant afford it.

I wrote my assemblyman...and this joker:

[j-turkey]

Heh -- I wrote this guy an email, as well as my own NYS assemblyman. I've given up on the formalities of writing political emails and just sorta get to the nasty point (at least, when I'm really pissed off).

To the honorable assemblyman Felix Oritz,

I am writing concerning your proposed tax on video games, fat, and commercials to pay for NYS' anti-obesity program.

I am writing because I am against this proposal, which clearly flies in the face of freedom and choice. This proposed tax hike will alienate every New Yorker who eats fatty foods or plays video game -- as well a many business owners...which is pretty much every New Yorker. Do you really want your name on that tax hike? In this time of financial crisis, for the state, New York's cities, and many of the great state's citizens -- do you think that this program is a good idea? Do you really think that New Yorkers are willing to swing *another* tax hike -- this time on the stuff we really like?

I can answer this for you in a word: "NO".

Let's stop this witch hunt now...it will NOT help anyone, and will certainly not help your political career. Even though I'm sure this bill will never pass, I now understand the nature of your political character. Be glad that I'm not your constituent, since you would have just lost my vote. Does this reflect the politics of your party? If so, they've lost my vote too.

Regards,
-- Jive-ass Turkey (I changed my name for /. ...duh)

Well -- the insulting informality of this one may not go too far...but at least someone's doing something.

--Turkey