Taxing As A Tool To Save People

Interesting piece from Health and Fitness Advice about the state of New York and its (misguided) attempt to tax soda consumption.

"In the attempt to save us from ourselves two so-called public health officials are have written a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine in which they claim a penny per ounce tax on sugary drinks could reduce consumption by 10 percent while raising over $1 billion dollars in revenue for the state."

Hm. Sounds like just about every other poorly thought out scheme pimped out by bureaucrats. Tax people, save them from themselves in the process, reduce consumption of "A" or "B" and watch cash flow in - and out into the pockets of (insert).

Here in Montreal, I can think of the water meter scam and the push to make the city green by paving more bike paths in the core of the city. I have no problem with the idea but have you driven on de Maisonneuve street? I'm a pretty good and calm driver and let me tell you that area stresses the living daylights out of me. It's rather confusing to the point you're afraid to turn lest someone bumps into your car like a bird flies into a window. Pedestrians and cyclists don't usually observe the signals and lights.

More thought could have been put into this.

In any event, urban road planning is not Montreal's strong suit.