Kenney declares soda tax war, enlisting advocates for the fight
ListenA soda war has begun in Philadelphia and it’s not Pepsi vs. Coke. While speaking to a group of literacy advocates, Mayor Jim Kenney tried to enlist them in the fight to approve a soda tax in Philadelphia.
“I need your help in the next couple months because we are up against it up against it from big soda and people who want to use $800 million a year to advertise their product mostly in minority neighborhoods so kids can drink sugary beverages and they can make massive profits,” he said.
The mayor says the beverage makers, who killed off the idea when proposed before, could afford to pay the 3 cents per ounce tax.
“They are not bad people they are just misguided,” he said.
Kenney says he would use the money to pay for universal pre-K and to help fund libraries.
The beverage industry says the tax would unfairly hit poor people the most. It also says the tax, which would only be collected within the city, could be evaded quite easily.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.