San Francisco supervisors unite behind 2-cent per ounce tax on sugary beverages
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Two proposals to raise taxes on soda and other sweetened drinks became one on Saturday as San Francisco supervisors supporting the war on "liquid sugar" unveiled a unified measure they plan to present at Tuesday's board meeting.
The measure, which combines separate legislation introduced by Supervisors Scott Wiener and Eric Mar last year, would impose a 2-cents-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages including sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks, but excluding 100-percent fruit and vegetable drinks.
... Supporters who spoke at the event, also including Supervisors Mar, Malia Cohen and board President David Chiu, acknowledged that the beverage industry, which they repeatedly referred to as "Big Soda," would likely spend more money trying to defeat the measure than has been spent on any local ordinance in the past.
... The beverage industry, for its part, argues that the tax, which would be distributed at the "first point of distribution" into the city, would raise prices for everyone because the grocers, restaurants and other businesses will probably pass it on to consumers in the form of higher prices on all products, not just the sugary drinks.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/United-front-in-S-F-s-war-on-sodas-other-sweet-5196702.php