Is a flat sugary drink tax fair in the US?
Taxing sugary drinks at 20% per liter has reduced consumption in Mexico by about 12% over two years, but I question whether the same excise tax would work fairly in the US. A flat rate hits low-income families harder since they spend a larger share of income on these products, yet advocates rarely mention that trade-off. Should we really adopt a regressive levy just because it nudges healthier choices?