Four U.S. cities — San Francisco, Oakland and Albany, Calif., and Boulder, Colo. — passed ballot initiatives Tuesday night that will impose taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, a huge loss for the beverage industry and a big win for health advocates and billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Laura and John Arnold.
Tax proponents hope that their string of victories — including Philadelphia and Mexico — will propel soda taxes into the mainstream policy fray, a move that would open up the floodgates to similar taxes in other cities and states.
Jim Krieger, the founding executive director of Healthy Food America, called the votes “an historic turning point” and said his group has already heard from a dozen places considering action on sugary drinks in 2017.”
“It’s a clean sweep. It’s huge,” said Larry Tramutola, who ran the pro-tax effort in the Bay Area. “It’s a clear sign of what voters want … and it shows you the power of having people on the ground and how that can overcome millions in advertising.”
Source: www.politico.com