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In this month’s newsletter: Seattle City Council approves the nation’s eighth sugary drink tax ... An HFA Research Brief found early evidence that sugary drink taxes are working ... Santa Fe voters may have rejected a sugary drink tax but we’ve learned some lessons and see opportunities ahead ... Our webinar on Implementing Sugary Drink Taxes is now available online
Seattle Sugary Drink Tax Approved by City Council
Seattle became the eighth locale in the nation to pass a tax on sugary drinks on June 5th. The 1.75 cent-per-ounce tax should bring in approximately $15 million in revenue each year for the city. City leaders plan to use the revenue to fund increased access to healthier food for low-income people and promote healthy food choices. The revenue will also be earmarked to fund programs that support the healthy development of children, reduce disparities and prepare children for a strong and fair start in kindergarten. Read more.
HFA Research Brief: Early Evidence Says That Sugary Drink Taxes are Working
After years of depending on projections, early evidence is finally in. And the news is good. Sugary drink taxes have led to a significant decline in sugary drink sales and consumption in Mexico and Berkeley, CA. In addition, evidence so far does not support industry claims that taxes will have a negative impact on jobs and small businesses or on shoppers’ grocery bills. Read more.
Opportunities and Lessons Learned in Santa Fe
After a string of seven sugary drink tax wins in the United States, voters in Santa Fe rejected a two cent-per-ounce tax that would have funded pre-K for low-income children in the city. To learn more about why Santa Fe’s citizens voted against the proposed sugary drink tax, we consulted with allies on the ground to learn what influenced the outcome of the vote. Read more.
Webinar: Implementing Sugary Drink Taxes: Outreach, Collection, and Fighting Industry Litigation
If your municipality is implementing a sugary drink tax or considering a tax policy, this webinar offers advice about what to prepare for after that win. Panelists from Berkeley and Philadelphia’s tax and revenue, public health, and legal departments shared what they learned while blazing the trail. (Recorded May 15, 2017.) Click here to view the webinar.
Highlights From Our Media Updates
In case you missed them, here are some recent stories we found noteworthy:
American Academy of Pediatrics new guidelines on fruit juice for kids; less fruit juice, more whole fruit. (AAP News and Journals Gateway)
Tax backers slam Boulder, say CU exemption 'special tax break to Pepsi' (Daily Camera)
Preckwinkle: Cook County, IL soda tax will stand despite repeal campaign (Chicago Tribune)
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