On July 1 – barring a court order or a last minute act of legislative wisdom or fear (at this point, we’ll take either) – Cook County will implement a “Soda Tax,” a brand new penny-per-ounce beverage tax on non-alcoholic drinks that exceed certain threshold of either regular or diet sweeteners. It will capture virtually all regular and diet soda pop, most juice drinks, and either many or most other flavored drinks, such as sport drinks, frappucinos, sweetened or diet iced teas, lemonade, etc. Much has been said and written about the outlandish nature of this tax. Charged in addition...