We don’t need the government to tell us what to do.

The government is already too big and too involved in our lives. The government shouldn’t be involved in deciding what we feed our families or what we should buy.  We want to ensure that our state Legislators understand that.

If we let them add a discriminatory tax to beverages, who knows where it will end? We know our elected officials are facing close to a $160 million-$190 million budget deficit. But an unfair new tax on groceries is the wrong approach and one that will lead down a slippery slope.

There is no guarantee how our tax money will be used. We have no idea where our hard-earned new tax money would go. We need more money in our pockets, not new taxes.

Smarter ways to keep kids healthy.

New beverage taxes do not solve the obesity problem. Officials argue that taxing sugary beverages would help fight obesity, but health research proves it does NOT work.

New taxes don’t teach healthy lifestyles. Taxing some of our favorite beverages will not change behaviors or teach children about a healthier lifestyle. There are smarter ways to keep our kids healthy – like diet and exercise.

We need new jobs, not discriminatory taxes.

We need new jobs and economic relief – not unfair new taxes. Rhode Island’s unemployment is at a staggering 11.2% – only a few states in the U.S. have a higher unemployment rate. We need to change that. An unfair new tax on beverages will lead to further job losses that we can’t afford.

Our state is burdened with some of the highest taxes in the country. That includes some of the highest sales taxes, property taxes, and gas taxes.  We are maxed out on taxes in Rhode Island and can’t afford to pay any more.

A new tax hurts those who can least afford it. Middle- and lower- income families are hard-pressed to make ends meet now, stretching their grocery dollars to pay the bills. Adding a discriminatory new tax will hurt these families the most and hit their wallets the hardest.

The new governor has consistently said he feels good about our state’s future – and we agree. But what will NOT help our future economic recovery is a discriminatory new tax on beverages. It will be regressive against hardworking citizens of our great state.