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The new so-called “soda tax,” approved by Santa Cruz city voters, came into effect Thursday, the first tax of its kind passed in California since former government Jerry Brown signed the ban in 2018.
The tax, approved by voters in November, adds a two-cent tax to non-alcoholic drinks that contain sweeteners that add one or more calories, and drinks 40 calories per 12-liquid ounce drink, including soda, coffee, sweet ice tea, energy drinks, and thrassi.
Four other California cities, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland and Albany, have taxes on sugary drinks in books, and Berkeley is the country’s first city.
However, Santa Cruz is the first to enact a new one as local government attacked a transaction signed by the governor before banning taxes on soda until 2031.
Santa Cruz City Councilman Sivreg Carrantari Johnson, one of the soda tax advocates, told Lookout Santa Cruz after the measure was passed in November that the campaign was framed as a battle between Santa Cruz and American drink Asun.
“It really resonated with the people. It was a big industry that was trying to manipulate local voters and manipulate powerful local voters,” Kalantari-Johnson told the publication. “We won’t let large companies decide for us.”
Santa Cruz’s sweet drink tax does not apply to medical drinks, drinks with less than 40 calories per 12-component drink, infant drinks, supplement or food replacement drinks, dairy products, 100% natural vegetable or fruit juices, concentrates, sweeteners (such as cough suppressants), and alcoholic-made drinks, and alcoholic-baked drinks.
“When Santa Cruz presents facts about the dangers of sweet drinks, it shows that voters are seeing efforts to misinform the soda industry’s multi-million dollar efforts,” Nancy Brown, CEO of American Heart Assn, said in a recent statement. “The American Heart Association is proud to support the vote action and continues to be committed to the city of Santa Cruz with its David vs. Goliath’s efforts against the beverage industry this year.”
American Beverage Assn spokesman Steve Maviglio. He lobbyed heavily against the soda tax and condemned the latest measures in the statement.
“Santa Cruz has implemented a tax that violates the general statewide ban on grocery tax, which opposes a wide coalition of small businesses, progressive leaders, labor unions and social justice organisations as an unfair burden on the families of workers who are already struggling with record-high prices,” he wrote in an email.
American drinks assn. We also launched a campaign called “Cart Your Choice.”
The campaign’s website says “it will undermine the price rise from taxes between low-income communities and those who pay the most.” “With the inflationary crippling, supply chain issues, and gas prices make everyday items more expensive, the last tax that labor families need now is more tax.”
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