Nanny State

Reason Writers Around Town: Katherine Mangu-Ward in WaPo on Soda Taxes

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Like bears to honey or zombies to brains, politicians find something irresistible about soda taxes. President Obama recently told Men's Health magazine that he thinks a "sin tax" on soda is "an idea that we should be exploring." San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom moved to impose a fee on stores for selling sugary drinks, only to admit that his plan was probably illegal. In December, New York Gov. David Paterson proposed a 18 percent tax on full-sugar soda to help cover a budget shortfall. After a public outcry, he claimed he was just raising awareness about childhood obesity. In Sunday's Washington Post Senior Editor Katherine Mangu-Ward debunks five myths about soda taxes.

Read the whole thing here.