There's no way around it, New Yorkers don't want and can't afford any more taxes - especially taxes that will affect the cost of their groceries. We came across this article in the Washington Square News this week, and thought it would be worthwhile to share. It further explains how a beverage tax won't work to solve obesity. Here's an excerpt:

Yale University assistant professor of health policy Jason Fletcher is not convinced [that a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages would have an impact on obesity]. Fletcher published a study in 2009 showing that states with a tax on soda did not have significantly lower obesity rates.

Niyati Parekh, NYU assistant professor of nutrition and public health, isn't convinced that a soda tax would make a difference.

"Other diet factors count so much that only taxing sodas is maybe a thought in the right direction," she said. "But it's really not going to decrease the rates in obesity as much as doing other interventions."

She said that lawmakers should be focusing on health education instead.

So, there you have it. A few more voices to add to the growing broad base in New York - union workers, corner store and grocery store owners, academics, individuals and families are lining up to tell Gov. Paterson that this tax is a terrible idea that won’t work.