D.C. Council to Consider Soda Tax

D.C. Council Member Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) has proposed a one-cent tax per ounce of soda and other sugary beverages sold in the District. The expected $6.5 million in tax revenue would help fund the Healthy Schools Act of 2010, which comes up for final vote on May 4. The Act seeks to improve the nutrition and health of public school students by providing more affordable, healthier meals to students, establish farm to table programs, and fund wellness and physical fitness programs.

This tax has the potential to go far in helping both D.C. school children as well as D.C. residents. Cheh suggests in her proposal that Center for Disease Control studies show a tax of 1 cent per ounce on soft drinks -- or approximately 10 percent per 12 ounce can or bottle -- would be the "single most effective measure to reverse the obesity epidemic." Research shows that the consumption of one soft drink a day adds approximately 10 pounds of weight a year. 

The measure comes to vote on May 25. Would a tax like this deter you from consuming as many soft drinks as usual, or would you continue to pay up? Would you drive to Maryland or Virginia to get a cheaper fix?

Teamsters Local 67 is opposed to any soda tax. We will be down at City Hall this Friday voicing our objections when this measure comes before the city council. 

The city cut all but 45 minutes per week of physical education from DC Schools and now that many of the kids are overweight they want beverage distributors to absorb the cost of getting these kids back into shape. It's laughable. If this is to get through the loss of jobs in our Pepsi shops will be significant.