Reader says taxes on junk food will generate more revenue than increased cigarette tax

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Dear Editor:

I watched our smiling Indiana legislators being interviewed about the success of closing the revenue gap they had to fill this budget year. Their solution was securing monies by raising taxes on cigarette sales. I’m sure Indiana cigarette smokers were not happy with the additional tax along with the sales tax.

Dr. Feldman stated that smoking is Indiana’s most pressing public-health challenge. He pointed out that Indiana public health funding has been a low priority and was happy that the legislature finally added a tax on cigarettes to help put more funds into public health. In previous years, when it was suggested to raise the cigarette tax, all of the funds would not be going to smoking cessation. Most of the monies at that time were projected toward construction of highways. Today they are recommending putting the monies toward Medicaid and non-health related uses.

We should thank our smokers for supporting Medicaid and all the other Indiana projects they will be supporting. By the way, what happened to the $1 billion shortfall in Medicaid? I read there was a forecasting error and concerns about growing expenditures. Were any of the shortfall expenditures given to non-citizens? Oh no, Indiana would not do that.

If Indiana needs more funding for any project, they are missing out where the sales are. A large part of our Hoosier population purchases “junk food and sugary drinks.” Since we have a health crisis in our state, get rid of the unhealthy sugary drinks and food. Tax it away like the cigarettes.

I really don’t see any smokers in public anymore. They have been chased away. But look at the people who are constantly carrying soft drink cups and sacks of junk food. They are everywhere. This is your source of funding for Indiana projects.

Mari Briggs
Sheridan