Don’t tax my snacks!

To help pay for health care reform, would you be willing to pay a “sin tax” on your favorite snack foods or soft drinks? If you answered “no,” you’re not alone (but you’re not in the majority, either). According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s April health tracking poll, when asked if respondents would favor or oppose increasing taxes on a package of items including soda, alcohol, junk food, and cigarettes to pay for health reform and provide coverage for the uninsured, six in ten (61%) favor such taxes while roughly four in ten (37%) are opposed. Asked about each of these items specifically, the poll suggests there is somewhat more support for increasing taxes on cigarettes (65%) and wine and beer (68%) than on snack foods (52%) or soda (46%).

These results are interesting, but not really remarkable. What’s more intriguing about this survey is the researchers’ efforts to show how possible arguments in the reform debate can sway public opinion. For example, the survey tested some arguments for and against the sin tax approach. Support for the approach declines overall (39% favor, 57% oppose) when supporters are told that the tax increase would hit low-income people the hardest. When initial opponents are told that the tax increase would raise money for reform and improve health by encouraging healthier habits, overall support increases moderately (70% favor, 27% oppose).

The key findings state, “It’s a safe bet that health care reform in 2009, as was true in 1993-1994, will play out in the context of a spirited debate, with opponents and proponents taking their cases directly to the public, with substantive, impassioned pleas mixed in with specious arguments and spin. For this reason, we chose a handful of the endless possible numbers of messages for and against these policy proposals and asked supporters and opponents separately if they would ‘still support’ or ‘still oppose’ if they heard this argument against their position. And what we found is that, at this early but still crucial stage of a possibly fast-moving process, there are many arguments (true or not) which can move opinion for or against.”

As the process unfolds, let’s be wary of the various messages for and against the offered reform proposals, and let’s examine them closely before making up our minds.

In the meantime, please pass the pretzels.