Posted on 03/04/2010 7:09:35 AM PST by GeorgiaDawg32
Mayor Nutter wants to treat the city's weight and wallet problems in his 2010-11 budget with the same remedy: the nation's highest tax on all sweetened beverages including soda, energy drinks, ice tea, even chocolate milk.
Nutter's plan would put Philadelphia at the front of the movement to tax sweet drinks, an effort that the beverage industry already opposes and that could encounter resistance in City Council.
The tax rate would be 2 cents per ounce, 40 cents on a 20-ounce bottle of soda.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
You’re right that it won’t stop Philadelphians from drinking soda, because they’re either a)not paying for it or b)will buy it outside the city. Soda sales from grocery stores where the typical shopper is not on food stamps would plummet. In order for this tax to be successful for the city, it needs to be lower, maybe a quarter on a 2 liter bottle. That’s little enough of a nuisance for people to just suck it up and move on. And that’s what will ultimately pass. I don’t know if the trash thing will pass as most of the folks I know aren’t willing to pay an extra dime to have their trash picked up. They’re already paying for it in their property taxes.
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