| What happens when you tax soda? Well, in Washington State, they tried it and found out: The soda lobby comes in with big bucks to try to repeal it.
Today, citizens of Washington State are voting on Initiative 1107. It was written and put on the ballot by none other than the American Beverage Association (a.k.a. the soda lobby). All in all, the ABA is spending some $14 million to push Initiative 1107, setting a record in WA state for spending on a ballot initiative.
Initiative 1107 would repeal a tax on soda, bottled water, candy, and gum. It's a small tax - $.02 on a 12-oz soda. The money raised by the tax - over $100 million per year - funds "early childhood education, K-12, health care, protections for seniors and kids, and other important services." The ABA says it's unfair to tax food. Opponents of 1107 say that's not true, because the items taxed - junk and bottled water - are not food. And, they say, the state will suffer from the budget cuts that will result if the tax revenues from junk food go away.
Tonight when you are watching the election returns, keep an eye out for the results of this one. |
