The city council gave the final approval to the tax on sugary and diet beverages. Consumers will now be faced with a 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax on the drinks.
The only other place in America with a similar law is Berkeley, California. Soda tax proposals have failed in dozens of cities and states throughout the years, and such proposals are often criticized as disproportionately affecting the poor.
Philadelphia’s mayor, Jim Kenney, sold the proposal to the council with a plan to spend the new tax revenue to pay for community schools, prekindergarten and recreation centers.
Kenney thanked educators, rec center volunteers, parents and others for their advocacy. He said that because of their advocacy, the city made a historic investment in their education system, as well as their neighborhoods.
Social media users appear to have a mixed reaction about the tax, with some thinking the measure was the right move to make, while others disagree with it.
@cnnbrk Soda is poison sugar water that has been directly linked to the obesity epidemic in America. Personally I'd regulate it like cigs.
— The Third Party (@TheThirdPartyUS) 16 June 2016
@cnnbrk what's next?!? Twinkies? Ice cream? Coffee? Red meat? Apparently the Philadelphia government wants it's constituents to be vegans.
— Brian Steeves (@brian9909) 17 June 2016
If distributors decide to pass it onto consumers, then the cost of a 12-ounce can of soda will increase by 18 cents, and a six pack of 16-ounce bottles will go up $1.44.
The American Beverage Association (ABA), which represents PepsiCO and Coca-Cola and who funded a local group opposed to the tax, said they plan on suing Philelphioa to stop the tax.
The ABA added that they would oppose all discriminatory tax proposals. They said the tax measure in Philadelphia was passed due to unique local political conditions and it would unlikely have a ripple effect in other cities.
