Health advocacy groups have launched a statewide campaign focused on passing a soda tax by the end of the year.
The coalition of groups formed in the wake of the failure of five bills seeking to curtail soda consumption to pass earlier this year.
In addition to the 2 cents per ounce statewide tax on sweetened beverages the coalition seeks to impose, they also aim to regulate soda advertising and reverse a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown that bans local governments from taxing soda in their municipalities, according to a news release from the coalition.
“We need to ensure that any state legislative bills or ballot initiatives moving forward lead to declines in sugary drink consumption, and that any new revenues raised are invested in creating a healthier future for our children and promoting more equitable health outcomes,” said Genoveva Islas, executive director of Cultiva La Salud, a Fresno-based nonprofit.
This state needs to quit regulating and taxing everything…does anyone really think this will get people to STOP drinking soda? If that’s the goal, slap a $1 per ounce on it and $10 on alcohol. Stop the nanny government and quit regulating peoples lawful choices. We are taxed to death here!!!!
Thank you, Fed UP! I agree – let people eat and drink what they want!! The information is out there about what is healthy and what is not – everyone deserves to make their own choices!!
They’re desperate to tax everything because they are running out of money and lack the imagination to find other ways of paying the bills. It’s sorta like the web sites you go to which a few years back didn’t bug you about your ad blocker or try to make you subscribe just to find out what an article is about. Same deal, those sites lack the imagination to find new ways to monetize their sites without driving away viewers. Similarly, keep taxing and soon they’ll really be in the hole because there will be nobody left in the state to tax (but themselves of course).
We can make it at home but they will find a way to tax that too.
Funny, it seems this state wants us to partake of marijuana but not soda. They promote the ‘wonders’ of weed but slam sugar.
So Fruit juices such as Apple, Orange grape etc. are totally fine for our children to drink? or Choc. milk? Why stop at sugary drinks? No more frozen sugary juices. AKA popsicles we can’t forget those. You can’t just ban soda without banning everything that has sugar in it right? And let’s not forget those straws! Ban plastic straws, but it’s ok to put a sugary coffee drink in a plastic cup. When will the madness end?
When will the madness end? In CA, probably never. I mean, how do you change the inbred culture of politics in this state? And look at federally elected officials, both parties across the country appear to be generally incompetent.
I don’t drink soda or sugary drinks. But these proposals are down right nuts.
NANNY STATE.
Does anyone notice they never actually use the word”sugar”they say “sugary”.Most soda has high fructose corn syrup(Monsanto corn).If you want real soda with real sugar that tastes good,buy the soda they says it’s made in Mexico.They don’t even say why they are doing this other than “the bill leads to declines in sugary drink consuption”..tell us why this needs to happen?They don’t want to admit they are killing the public with poison.
Mike, prehaps they should tax HFCS products more not actual sugar products. Then we could get rid of that junk.
I will have a soda if I please, don’t need a coalition to tell me what is good or not good for me. California gov is the worse.
If they cared about the public health and wanted to capitalize on it at the same time like they do,cigarettes shoud be $25 per pack.”People” will still buy them.
Enough already. I can make my own decisions and if someone else can’t stop being a “NANNY STATE”. Lawmakers do what you are supposed to do and stop with all this extraneous BS to avoid the real issues like if you steal under $950 it is not breaking the law. GET REAL PEOPLE.
No Sam Malone, sadly you can’t make your own decisions. You have given that ability up by living in California where lazy, wealth redistribution zealots have handed the freedom of choice over to our one party state.
This is not the role of government
It’s strickly for money in the guise of “the public’s health”
Another out of touch Fresno fiasco
So you are advocating a tax that you say will be used to benefit kids
But are also calling for less consumption
So in essence just waving the socialism flag
Of tax the people for the product and then demand less product
So any income meant for your so called cause will be halves and or cut altogether
Or is this a socialist attack on companies producing soda and being capitalist
And who manages this so called kid friendly tax the lotto commission
Or the unions
This sounds like the high speed scam train
Yeah the mono rail … be the first scam worked on the dem voters
So I am sure they will love this tax and not worry about where the money goes
But all those section 8 moms who take their kids to mc Donald’s for fries and soda ….you will be bullying them and making them outlaws
What will happen to Disneyland ….no soda no straws no coffee no man holes no soap no showers no bags no fun.
Seems your Fresno sense is tingling with disappointment as your wishes to become the new bezerkley fail again
Pretty sad when the government has to step in to help people from killing themselves. Another proof our education system is a joke. People get cycled through and can’t balance their diet, much less a checkbook.
They’ll try every angle, won’t they? We don’t need the government telling us what to eat and drink. Except snowflakes do.
Who’s the idiot that wrote this proposal? Voters have a right to know!
Hmmmmm……………maybe the soft drink producers didn’t send enough bribe money……er….ah….I mean donations to our stalwart anal-retentive-control-freak-democrats.
Well . . . . single party running this state figures out yet another way to take money out of your pocket, They would pocket 32 cents on every 16 OZ soda and that’s on top of the CA redemption deposit. Or how to ensure homeless have an income.
Where’s their press release that says, “IT”S FOR THE KIDS”.
Politicians should review what became of soda taxation other places.
https://taxfoundation.org/philadelphia-soda-tax-failing/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/seattles-soda-tax-experiment-is-doomed-to-failure
https://mynorthwest.com/1045920/seattles-soda-tax-scam-already-a-huge-failure/
If it’s not obvious by now, liberals have no self-control and are not self-directed. They actually have to have somebody else making all the important decisions for them, telling them this behavior is ok, this food is ok to eat, this drink is too “sugary.” Since they have elected an “esteemed body” to lead them, they have vested them with the authority to run their lives. In short, they need somebody to tell them what to do.
Maybe all that “sensitivity training” has pushed the mute button on their ability to make their own decisions about … well, about everything. I don’t see them rushing to the polls to vote out the people who make the laws to tax what they don’t approve of, or what they think is harmful. Some of us who don’t need a Big Brother are guessing liberals like this sort of stuff.
gittyup – you hit it on the head. Liberals are only capable of voting for others to tell them what to do/what not to do.
I think they’re genetically incapable of making their own decisions…. witness DeSaulnier’s program several years ago entitled “there ought to be a law.”
I love it when Claycord posts jokes like this story. I can alway use a good laugh…
Sixth time’s the charm, I guess.
Would bring a whole new meaning to the term “Coke smuggling”
Seems like a gift to the “Soda Stream” people. Willing to bet a lot of soda lovers will be undeterred and will look for alternatives.
Please stop re-electing these useless idiots. Our state has real problems (crime, homeless, unfunded pension liabilities, etc) that deserve to be addresssed.
Yeah right that’s more important than the multiple problems this state needs to deal with instead, like the homeless situation wildfires etc etc.
Sounds like another scam to raise more money to cover the 80 to 90 Billion dollar shortfall covering unfunded overly generous retirement benefits for state employees.
“We need to ensure that any state legislative bills or ballot initiatives moving forward lead to declines in sugary drink consumption, and that any new revenues raised are invested in creating a healthier future for our children and promoting more equitable health outcomes,”
Sieg heil.
LOVE THIS! I fully support taxing the heck out of sodas and sugary drinks! If anyone here took the time to read the research on these products you would see how dangerous they are. Not only contributing to obesity but more concerning is the connections to cancer/etc.
Also very interesting how everyone commenting is so fed up with taxing and calling this a ‘nanny state’ or whatever, but when it comes to taxing cigarettes you all have no issue with that!? Cigarettes have increased in price over 60% Same damn thing…interesting how it gets everyone up on arms – must be a lot of soda drinkers here? Lol
No. Just a lot of Americans who believe in freedom of choice and the responsibility that comes with that freedom.
It’s a revenue stream, that’s all. Putting a sin tax on it is big dollars for
the state.
When will they tax bakery items?
How about fatty foods?
Fruit juices?
Sugar itself?
I better shut up before DeSaulnier hears it.
How about a progressive tax based on how much marbling is present in the steak you’re purchasing?
Soda, cigarettes, plastic….they are deemed harmful, why allow the manufacture and sale?
Let’s outlaw Hollandaise Sauce too! It’s very fattening… and Ice Cream….that’s a one way ticket to obesity… and alcohol! Don’t even get me started on the pitfalls of that vice!
In fact…. we should ban any freedom of choice altogether.
People can’t be trusted to use common sense or self control to enjoy things in moderation…No, that won’t work.
We must force them to obey like children and forbid them access to things they might use to excess!
We know what’s best for everyone, so let’s make all the decisions for them.
We can require they eat & drink only what is allowed and the amount allowed.
Force them to get enough sleep and require them to vote correctly for the right candidates too.
On the list of important things to deal with, this is probably number 200. If people want to grow up to be fat, out of shape pre-diabetics, so what? Life is a series of choices. Adults must live with the choices they make. The human race will not become extinct over sugary drinks and plastic straws. Perhaps this is nature’s way of right-sizing.
The so what is simple.
For anyone who goes to a doctor, hospital, et al – the cost of health care will not only keep rising but grows faster as more people get fatter and their health is impacted.
You may not get fat or get diabetes – but you will be paying for those that do…
I don’t like soda so I don’t buy it. However, if someone wants to drink soda they should be able to do so without tax penalty. I’ve never heard of any dangers from second-hand soda so I don’t think it’s a threat to public safety. I’d be curious to find out the real story behind this. They say it is “for the children” ….. but why soda??? Is there some labor dispute or something else behind this? There are many other things that contribute to obesity in children. Fruit juice; fast food; cereal….. and lack of exercise. Who are the members of this Coalition and what is the real reason they are targeting soda?
Oh no the sky is falling the sky is falling
Hey those who say sugar is the devil and straws are the anti christ
This is AMERICA we have free will and freedom to choose
That is until this state becomes a socialist regime …watch a couple episodes of the handmaidens tales and see where demifornia is going
Also you do know that ansocialist gov gets rich while you the socialist tool
Wait in lines for bread and water and have zero freedoms
Funny how 20 years of open border mentality have turned California into a mad scientist experiment of no man holes and letter designations and straws are evil but Starbucks can have a store on every corner hmmm
Yet this state is crumbling and taxes out of control it’s legal to steal and infect people with deadly diseases….sanctuary for criminals and bums and illegal border crossers …straws are the enemy …man holes are the devil and gov. Control over everything you do or say is preferred
Did I miss anything
This state is being run like an African warlords controlled state
Ironic that freedom and security are no longer preferred in this state
That the people who vote prefer a socialist dictatorship over freedoms that Americans died for yet you call your self American when it suits you but your against amerIca and what it stands for
Millions of people want to come here to be free
And the voters back socialist democrats who only use illegals as tools
Why hasn’t the voters realized this and demanded that this state make illegals legal so they can be free
The gov in this state has them pinned down like human shields
Allowing them to break the laws instead of being legal and able to make their own choices
Where are the protests for legalizing the illegal so they can pay taxes too
Or at least be Americans
Nope the gov along with de slacker and wiener do as little as possible
The gov sends out stupid bills and calls it work and the voters in their infinite wisdom re elect the tools to make laws that discriminate against straws and safety
and maintaining roads and infrastructure is at the bottom of a list that does not exist
Welcome to demifornia where crime and waste is preferred
The fact is actually they are running low on funds to serve the illegal immigrants even though we have been taxed to oblivion with everything else. In addition as a previous poster had indicated, we cannot allow the homeless dangling in the breeze. Most of them are real citizens and can vote for the liberal and demo candidates.
Meanwhile there’s poop, needles, homeless people and illegal alien felons all over the state, but the Sacramento Stupids worry about sodas.
OMG enough is enough. California is a democratic taxed mess.
Since California Dems makes their own laws why cant the Republicans of this state do the same. Demand that Dems who are voting in these taxes pay the taxs and give every republican a tax exempt card.
If they spent 1/10th of the money spent on this on “educating” the public on healthier eating/drinks & the negative of effects of sugar/soda, it would have 10x the the effect as this/these stupid soda taxes.