Philly residents ‘not reacting well’ to tax floated in Seattle
Jan 9, 2017, 11:39 AM
In a city where voters have trouble saying “no,” people in Seattle can be thankful a soda tax never became a reality, based on how Philadelphia residents have reacted to theirs.
The Philadelphia City Council approved a 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax on sugary and diet beverages last year. The tax levies distributors, which, in turn, has caused shelf prices to leap.
Ross: If all else fails, make soda a controlled substance
Residents are “not reacting well,” Julia Terruso of the Philadelphia Inquirer told Seattle’s Morning News.
The tax in Philly went into effect on Jan. 1. Even a bottle of flavored water can cost near double digits, 成人X站 Radio’s Dave Ross points out. Don’t believe it? Just take a look at this tweet:
From a Facebook post, the Philadelphia sugary drink tax implemented today damn, between that & Pennsylvania gas tax no wonder folk revolted
鈥� SalenaZito (@SalenaZito)
Terruso says the tax was pitched in a way that convinced city leaders to approve it. It is pegged to help fund pre-K programs as well as funding parks and recreation.
One of the big arguments against the tax is that it would fall hard on low-income families — the same families the additional money is designed to help.
“That was a major argument,” Terruso said, adding that the tax isn’t just on soda, but diet soda and basically any beverage with added sweetener.
Listen to the entire conversation with Terruso below.
Soda tax floated in Seattle, King County
Several years ago, the idea of a soda tax was floated in Seattle. Then-Mayor Mike McGinn said it could help raise money for parks.
鈥淭hat tax could potentially generate up to $20 million a year if you went up one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, like sodas,鈥� said McGinn.
In 2011, sources told 成人X站 Radio that the idea of taxing soda and other sugary drinks was being discussed around City Hall. At the time, the mayor鈥檚 spokesperson refused to comment 鈥渙n a rumor from an unnamed source.鈥�
In 2010, state lawmakers in Olympia passed a budget package that enacted nearly $800 million in new taxes, including taxes on cigarettes, bottled water, beer, candy and soda. The taxes were repealed less than a year later after a multi-million dollar, American Beverage Association-backed initiative.
More than 60 percent of state voters approved Initiative 1107 in the November 2010 general election, which repealed the new taxes. However, voters in King County upheld the taxes.
