Don’t let profits come before our kids

The recent mailer by “A Better Way” (to oppose early childhood education), claiming that the city sets electricity rates, struck a sour note with me.

Clearly, “A Better Way” has no connection to this community or they would know there has been an epic five-year battle between New Energy Economy and PNM over the setting of electricity rates and PNM’s failure to convert to renewable, cheaper sources of electricity.

They also claim 120 supporting businesses, but the list remains a mystery.

So I decided to tackle some of their other arguments:

“The tax costs too much.” If I drink a can of Coke a day and Coke passes every penny of the tax on, I will pay 24 cents a day. If I drink more than a Coke a day, I might consider cutting back. That one Coke has 10 teaspoons of sugar and I want to save some room for ice cream.

“I like pre-K, but I’m against the tax.” But if I vote “no” on the tax, I vote “no” on pre-K. There is absolutely no other source of funds for pre-K. The city’s surplus is held in dedicated enterprise funds, like the Water Division. The $1 million available for the general fund will go for workers who have not had a significant raise in 10 years, as well as other recession-era cuts. Not to mention Governor Veto, who has cut corporate taxes, and slashed education, health and public services. What’s a kid to do?

“A tax on sugary drinks is unfair to poor people; it’s regressive.” There is nothing fair about poor children growing up with sugar-caused diseases that they can’t afford to treat and then dying sooner than wealthy people. If you are really concerned about fairness, don’t deny poor children access to education at this critical age.

“There are so many other unhealthy foods, why pick on just one?” We don’t have to get rid of every health threat before we address one of the most serious. Coke is getting a free ride. Great harm, huge profits, no responsibility.

“A tax will cost jobs.” Jobs will be lost only if Coke decides to fire workers. Overall, with 200 new pre-K jobs, we could gain good jobs in Santa Fe. Coke has plenty of non-sugary drinks to sell. Including water, which we used to just drink out of the tap.

“People will shop outside the city limits and the city will lose business.” Studies in Berkeley, Calif., which is bordered by big cities where people could take their soda-shopping business, show so few “new” outside purchasers that it makes no economic difference to the city.

“It’s the parents’ job.” Does that mean that if kids don’t eat right or learn the most basic pre-K skills, we should just blame their parents and be done with it? Don’t we have a social responsibility to help kids in our community succeed in school and grow up healthy?

“I don’t want government deciding what I should eat or drink.” Just like with tobacco and alcohol, the city isn’t keeping me from “consuming” anything. It is acting responsibly and in the public interest by discouraging behavior that has public health consequences, while providing an educational benefit to children.

“I have a lot of information to back up my opinion.” Consider the source: Giant Corporations, the anti-labor Chamber of Commerce and right-wing think tanks that flood our media with anti-tax information. Profits before people is their mantra.

Please vote “yes.” Don’t let profits and threats come before our health, our city and our kids.