On the ballot: soda taxes

Two cities, Berkeley and Santa Cruz, California, will vote on whether to impose a local “soda tax.” There’s a 2024 study in JAMA Health Forum that purports to say soda taxes have “promising impacts on health habits.” Berkeley will vote whether to extend its soda tax to 1st January 2027 and Santa Cruz will vote whether to  impose a tax of 2 cents per fluid ounce.

As we’ve talked about words matter like how the “soda tax” in Philadelphia applies to unflavored, unsweetened sparkling water according to the State Supreme Court.

Route Fifty | Ballots in two cities aim to keep soda taxes from falling flat