Senator Maziarz Agrees WITH Budwey: Soda Tax Is “Insane!”

Frank Budwey, the owner of Budwey’s Supermarkets in North Tonawanda, Kenmore, and Newfane, is featured in a new “New Yorkers Against Unfair Taxes” television ad railing against the Governor’s proposed “soda tax.”

“The soda tax is insane,” Senator George Maziarz (R-C, Newfane) said.  “Frank Budwey, who has been a good friend of mine for many years, is absolutely right.”

In the statewide ad, Budwey says, “Over 40 years being the food business, I’ve never seen it this difficult for my customers to purchase food to take home to feed their families.  In such hard economic times, for us to be creating a new tax, it’s really insane.”

In his executive budget proposal for the 2010-2011 state fiscal year, Governor David Paterson proposed creating a new “Beverage Syrups and Soft Drink Tax” on sugared beverages, which would take $450 million out of New Yorkers’ wallets and send it to the state’s coffers.  The excise tax would, on average, increase the cost of bottled soft drinks and sports drinks by one cent per ounce.

At a tax symposium in Albany on Monday, Governor Paterson reiterated his support for imposing the new tax and said, “We’re just trying to take dangerous substances out of the hands of children.”

Senator Maziarz responded, “To talk about soda or ‘pop’ as a dangerous substance is just ridiculous.   The tax-and-spend culture of Albany is out of touch with the pressures facing hardworking Western New Yorkers.  I will vigorously oppose any new tax or fee proposal in Albany, including a soda tax.”