No Hawaii Beverage Tax
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The governor and some Hawaii politicians are pushing for taxes on soft drinks, juice drinks, sports drinks, teas, and more in 2012.
The Aloha State is a great place to live—but we already pay huge amounts in taxes, especially when you consider the general excise tax. In fact, when compared to any other state in the country, we pay more for food, gas, housing, and other necessities.
You would think our lawmakers would know all this. You would think that they would want to lessen our burden and promote policies that grow jobs here in Hawaii.
Instead, they’re hitting us with two new proposed fees at the grocery store: A beverage tax and an increased bottle fee.
Some politicians say a new beverage tax is necessary for our “well-being.” We know better.
Here are the facts: Hawaii’s obesity problem is bigger than soda. Studies show that taxes on soft drinks don’t work. It should be up to parents, not the state, to make healthy lifestyle and dietary decisions for their families.
Our lawmakers would like us to believe that a new tax on soft drinks will cure our obesity problem. They’re even talking about creating some kind of “Obesity Task Force,” to police our eating habits.
A new beverage tax won’t be the only fee we’ll have to look forward to: The 5¢ beverage deposit fee could also double.
If this bill passes, we’ll be forced to shell out an additional 10¢ on everything from soda to bottled water!
Read the Senate bill yourself.
We said no last year, and will say it again this year: The people of Hawaii cannot afford to pay more in food taxes.
That’s why we’ve come together to form No Hawaii Beverage Tax.
No Hawaii Beverage Tax is a group of concerned citizens, families, businesses and community organizations who want to send a strong message to our elected officials that we reject any discriminatory tax proposals on common grocery items like beverages.
