The District of Columbia (D.C.) is proposing a special 1.5 cent-per-ounce excise tax targeted at producers of “sugary drinks.” We sent a letter earlier this week opposing that tax. After all, we are the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA). Evidence from similar bills in other cities demonstrates that this bill would do nothing to improve public health in the District but would instead harm its most vulnerable residents. Low-income consumers would disproportionately feel the impact of such a highly regressive policy, which would put further strain on already-tight household budgets. After the city of Philadelphia introduced its own 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages in 2017, soda smuggling took off as food vendors desperately searched for ways to keep costs down. The D.C. Council should focus on how to make city residents’ lives easier, instead of raising taxes on some of their favorite food items. We will have a lot more on this as it develops so be sure to check our website and social media channels for updates.
Fort Dodge TV Ads – Mr. “Sluggish” Should Stay Away from Iowa
From Day 1, TPA has been highly critical of taxpayer-funded broadband systems that cities and municipalities have built or want to build. The reason is quite simple: they are a waste of money. The United States is littered with hundreds of failed projects that have cost federal, state, and local taxpayers billions of dollars. We now have a chance to stop a system from being built. Fort Dodge, Iowa is considering building a network and will have a referendum next month to decide. In response to this referendum, TPA is airing ads (click here) to try and stop another taxpayer boondoggle from being built. The ad introduces you to Mr. Sluggish, TPA’s new “friend.”
The November 5th referendum vote, which could give the city council the authority to establish a broadband utility, may be the only vote that citizens will ever directly have over the government-owned broadband system. Once the utility is formed, it can issue revenue bonds without a public vote – just a public hearing that very few people attend and rarely if ever makes a difference. Once the utility is formed, it can take action to build whatever system it wants, borrow and spend as much as it can raise in debt financing, charge whatever prices it wants, etc. without any more votes from the citizens it is supposed to serve. The problem is that no one knows how much it will cost just to get to the point of knowing the price tag of the GON system. Pella, Iowa recently authorized $792,000 for system design and business plan consultants. Charles City spent nearly $400,000 for the same thing. Being a much larger city, Fort Dodge can reasonably expect to pay substantially more than either Pella or Charles City. Fort Dodge doesn’t need this system because Fort Dodge already has good speed with their internet services. The average download speeds in the quadrants of Fort Dodge is estimated to be 38.4-55.7 Mbps.
When asked at the Aug. 6 public forum how much this project will cost, Fort Dodge’s consultant Curtis Dean replied that he didn’t know. When pressed further, all he could respond with was “tens of millions” of dollars. $20 million? $50 million? $90 million? Mr. Dean couldn’t come up with an answer because he truly doesn’t know. No one does. And when Fort Dodge citizens go to the ballot box, they won’t know either. Until much more information is gathered and disclosed to the voters, a “NO!” vote on this referendum is the only one that is fiscally responsible and makes common sense.
Click here to see additional reasons why Fort Dodge residents should say “No!” on next month’s referendum.
Green New Deal Isn’t Quite Dead…Yet
One of my biggest points of pride is when TPA can participate in or lead a coalition letter. It shows a unity with taxpayer and free market groups on issues that we care deeply about. And, we are able to work with people who I can truly call friends. This week we sent a coalition letter with 31 signatories (WOW!) to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) about our concerns with members of Congress trying to sneak Green New Deal provisions into unrelated pieces of legislation. In part, the letter read:
“On behalf of millions of taxpayers and consumers across the country, the undersigned groups urge you to oppose any ‘Green New Deal’ legislative language buried inside unrelated legislation…The U.S. economy needs abundant, low-cost sources of energy, not bank-breaking regulations that make it more difficult for Americans to live their lives. Earlier this year, members of the U.S. Senate introduced a resolution, S.J. Res. 8, calling for the creation of a radical, ill-thought-out ‘Green New Deal.’ This complete and unrealistic overhaul of the U.S. economy would have devastated hardworking American families. A motion to invoke cloture and proceed to consideration of the Green New Deal failed by a vote of 0-57. None of the resolution’s sponsors supported it. Normally when such imprudent policy ideas meet such a resounding defeat in the U.S. Senate, it means that these ideas will be relegated to the dustbin of political debate. Unfortunately, many members of Congress who refused to support this plan on the Senate floor are currently devising strategies to implement provisions of the Green New Deal by attaching them to important pending legislation. American consumers deserve an abundance of options to heat their homes and fuel their vehicles. Sneaking Green New Deal provisions into unrelated legislation would only lead to higher costs and undermine transparency in government. We urge the Senate to oppose any attempt to hold meaningful bills hostage in order to enact the misguided Green New Deal.”
Again, thank you to the 31 groups that signed, and we will be doing further outreach to Senate leadership to stop these Green New Deal items from being added to legislation.
Blogs:
Monday: Taxpayer Watchdog Announces Fort Dodge, Iowa Ad Campaign Highlighting Broadband Boondoggles
Tuesday: TPA Leads Coalition of 31 Groups Telling Sen. McConnell to Oppose Any “Green New Deal” Legislation
Wednesday: Watchdog Slams Proposed D.C. Beverage Tax
Friday: Pelosi’s Plan for Drug Pricing Is Not What the Doctor Ordered
Media:
October 1, 2019: The Cullman Times (Cullman, AL) ran TPAF investigative reporter Johnny Kampis’ piece, “FCC consumer advisory committee working to combat robocalls.”
October 5, 2019: Catalyst ran TPA’s op-ed, “Faux Globalism Benefits No One.”
October 5, 2019: The Center Square ran TPA’s op-ed, “No-bid state contracts harm all residents.”
October 5, 2019: TPA Policy Director Ross Marchand appeared on “Red Meat Radio” (Salt Lake City, UT) to discuss surprise billing issues and healthcare reform.
October 6, 2019: FEE ran TPA’s op-ed, “The FDA’s Outdated Standards Make Shopping for Healthy Food More Confusing.”
October 7, 2019: The American Conservative ran TPA’s op-ed, “No Fair! Americans Pay Way More to Send Goods to China.”
October 8, 2019: Catalyst ran TPA’s op-ed, “There’s a Lack of Expertise on Capitol Hill. That’s Okay.”
October 8, 2019: TPA Policy Director Ross Marchand appeared on “The Richard Beene Show” (96.1 FM/1180 AM; Bakersfield, CA) to discuss surprise billing issues and healthcare reform.
October 9, 2019: The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier (Waterloo and Cedar Falls, Iowa) mentioned TPA in their story, “Taxpayer watchdog group challenges Waterloo broadband study.”
October 9, 2019: Townhall ran TPA’s op-ed, “Crescent Dunes Solar Is Doomed as Taxpayers Pick Up the Tab.”
October 8, 2019: The Las Vegas Review Journal (Las Vegas, NV) mentioned TPA in their article, “EDITORIAL: Future of Crescent Dunes solar plant near Tonopah appears bleak.”
October 9, 2019: Inside Indiana Business ran TPA’s op-ed, “Monster Trucks in Indiana Not Worth the Price of Admission.”
October 10, 2019: WBFF (Fox, Baltimore) interviewed me about problems with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
October 10, 2019: FDA Reporter mentioned TPA in their article, “Taxpayers Protection Alliance recommends FDA reforms.”
Have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for your continued support.
Best,
David Williams
President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
1401 K Street, NW
Suite 502
Washington, D.C. xxxxxx
www.protectingtaxpayers.org
