State Senator to Parents: If Your Kids Are Obese, You Should Pay
An Illinois state senator has floated the idea that if parents have a child who is obese, those parents should lose their $2,000 per child state income tax deduction, according to media reports. “It’s the parents’ responsibility that have obese kids,” State Senator Shane Cultra told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Take the tax deduction away for parents that have obese kids.” Lawmakers in that state are currently considering adding a penny-per-once tax on sodas, juices and energy drinks as a way to try to address the rising rates of childhood obesity in Illinois, the paper said. (May 2011)
05.17.11
I see that, in fact, he appeared serious. That's too bad. Parents do need to take responsibility, BUT there are many challenges, and different children respond differently to the many sweets they meet throughout the day (I can't believe how much candy my school system gives to "good" kids as rewards). Parents need to address weight concerns for their kids gently, not under a tax filing deadline. I can just imagine the mental abuse kids would suffer. Soda tax is a pretty good idea. I live happily without pop. My sugar-loving daughter has no complaints about our completely pop-free household.
05.17.11
I guess it was a tongue-in-cheek comment taken out of context:
http://www.senatorcultra.com/Home/tabid/41/ctl/Details/mid/466/EntryId/4...
05.17.11
I whole heartedly agree with raising taxes on unhealthy foods. I avoid the sugary soda's and processed snack foods as much as possible but price is also a factor in my grocery choices and it's sad to say but unhealthy items are always cheaper, on sale more often and have many more coupons available than organic, all natural and less fattening foods. It's a shame that you can buy a box of Little Debbie's for less than the price of an organic apple.
We do need to discourage unhealthy eating habits and I think the First Lady is on the right track with what she is doing to bring healthy eating and more exercise time into our childrens lives. However, Mr. Cultra's idea is just plain dumb. How would the government go about enforcing this new tax law? Send the IRS out to weigh everyone's kids? Ridiculous!
Let's encourage our children and parents to make better eating choices by making healthy foods more affordable. Punishing them by taking more money out of their already stretched grocery budgets will only make matters worse.