Weekly Editorial Recap

TUESDAY

OBESITY POLICE

Assemblyman Harvey Munford, D-Las Vegas, has done what his party's leaders absolutely will not do: He has proposed a specific tax increase to offset some of the spending cuts favored by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Mr. Munford, vice chairman of the Assembly Taxation Committee, wants to tax fast food, sweets and treats purchased in restaurants and convenience stores at a rate of up to 5 percent. ...

Mr. Munford's idea, as expected, already has drawn a great deal of derision. Such responses are the reason Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, and Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, are keeping their lips zipped about which taxes they'd like to see created and/or increased. ...

This is politics at its worst. Bills that are not subjected to lengthy and vigorous discourse always have unintended consequences.

So Mr. Munford deserves a fair amount of credit for bringing his idea into the open in the legislative session's first week instead of its last. He wants the public to hear his ideas. Good. Let the debate begin. Mr. Munford's proposal is a bad idea. First and foremost, taxes should be levied to pay for legitimate functions of government. They should not be assessed to try to manipulate the public's behavior. ...

Second, diet is only one contributing factor to obesity. Sedentary lifestyles and portion sizes have more to do with obesity than food choice alone. Placing a punitive tax on double cheeseburgers and ice cream won't spur anyone to get off their couch and go for a walk.

Third, deciding which foods would be subject to Mr. Munford's tax is problematic. The tax is intended to be applied to fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. Yet many fast-food restaurants offer healthy choices, such as salads and grilled meats, and disclose their nutritional information, while many sit-down restaurants offer huge meals with more calories than a typical person needs in an entire day.

Besides, consumers already pay a tax when they eat out: the sales tax. ...

There's a lot to like about Mr. Munford's willingness to buck his party's leadership and bring something to the table. There's just nothing to like about his plan.