Starving college students are about to become a little more starving.
ASU students in downtown and western Phoenix often commute to neighboring cities for classes and jobs; now it’s time to add groceries to that list. Other Phoenix residents may begin to do the same.
In order to help fund essential city functions like police and fire departments, the Phoenix City Council has approved a 2 percent sales tax on food, which will take effect April 1.
Without the extra tax revenue, libraries and senior centers would have been closed, and police officers and firefighters would have lost their jobs.
William Boyes, a professor of economics at ASU and a former consultant at the Commerce Department for the White House, called the tax “regressive” in an e-mail.
“It is the easy way out for Phoenix officials. It allows them to keep spending and not making tough decisions,” Boyes said.
Despite its short-term financial appeal to the city, a food tax could hurt local businesses by drawing consumers, who can purchase tax-free food in neighboring cities, away from Phoenix grocery stores.
If Phoenix needs money, a food tax may be necessary, but it should not be the first course of action.
The Phoenix Police Department has made a convincing case while pushing for a large portion of the tax revenue — in times of economic trouble, law enforcement is imperative.
But if safety is such a concern, why tax food? Gov. Jan Brewer pushes to ease gun laws — a measure that is counterproductive to the work of police departments — so why not raise the tax on licenses to carry a concealed weapon? Are we just making sure all these police officers will be busy?
A food tax seems like a safe bet because everyone needs food. It should theoretically bring in tens of millions of dollars because of how many people it will affect, but we shouldn’t need so many millions of dollars. Cutting costs should be as high a priority as raising taxes.
At some point, such a measure may be necessary, but not before taxes are increased on alcohol and tobacco products, and the council members have taken a pay cut. After all, if parents are struggling to feed their families, the people behind the decision should share some of the burden.
For now, ASU students living at the satellite campuses in Phoenix may want to visit the Polytechnic campus more often. The tax may be repealed in years ahead, but until then, I’ll be venturing away from Phoenix.
Jack is looking for a new grocery store. Give him directions at jlfitzpa@asu.edu
