By nearly a 3-to-2 margin, voters in Santa Fe rejected a tax on sugary beverages in a referendum that attracted millions of dollars in outside spending. The results were a boost for the soft drink industry and may turn attention to Seattle, where Mayor Ed Murray has proposed a 1.75-cent an ounce tax on sugary beverages.
In Santa Fe, Mayor Javier Gonzales proposed a 2-cent tax on sugary drink as a way to raise money for early childhood education and as a public health step, said the New Mexican newspaper. “Opponents resisted the proposed tax as an unfair overreach by city leaders and not the best way to fulfill a recognized need for expanding access to preschool programs.”
Unofficial results tallied 8,382 votes for the tax and 11,533 votes against it.
In Seattle, the mayor included diet drinks to the list of beverages covered by the proposed tax so the impact would be felt more evenly throughout economic classes, said the Seattle Times. With the change, the tax rate was reduced to 1.75 cents from the original 2 cents. Murray “says it would raise $23 million per year, most of which would be spent on programs that help low-income and vulnerable children. Those would include before- and after-school programs, summer learning programs, Seattle Colleges scholarships and early learning programs,” said the newspaper.
The city council must approve the proposal before it can take effect, said KING-TV, anticipating vociferous debate.
To read the Seattle mayor’s package on the proposal, click here.