Seattle Approves Tax On Soda, Sugary Drinks

SEATTLE, WA - The Seattle City Council on Monday afternoon approved a tax on soda and other sugar drinks. The Council approved the measure by a vote of 7-1 with Councilwoman Kshama Sawant absent, and Councilwoman Lisa Herbold voting against the tax. The tax will place a charge of 1.75 cents per ounce for a specific list of soda drinks; the tax proceeds will go toward a number of education initiatives to close the learning gap between white and minority students.

Mayor Ed Murray proposed the tax in February and sent it to the Council for a vote in April. Last week, the Council's Finance Committee reviewed the tax and made changes - most notably removing diet soda from the list of taxable beverages.

The tax will apply to a variety a drinks that contain sugar, from Pepsi and Coca-Cola to sports drinks like Gatorade; it will go into effect in January 2018.

The proceeds of the tax would go toward a number of programs, but a large share — a one-time $5 million investment — would go to the 13th Year Program, which funds one year of tuition at a Seattle Colleges institution. Another $5.7 million would go toward programs that foster education from birth to age 5.

There were a number of opponents to the tax. Beverage groups called the tax unfair, while others say that the tax will only burden low-income and minority populations.

The group Keep Seattle Livable For All comprised of about 150 Seattle business owners - from Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon to Seattle-based Jones Soda - fought the tax. As did unions whose workers work in the beverage industry.

Seattle joins San Francisco, Boulder, Colo., and Philadelphia in implementing a soda tax.

Image via City of Seattle