Seattle soda tax generates more than $10M in first six months
The city of Seattle has received more than $10 million from its tax on sugary drinks in the six months since the measure has been imposed.
Fox Business reported Thursday that Seattle officials are now predicting that the tax could bring in more funds for the city than initially anticipated.
Seattle’s Finance and Administrative Services has received $10.5 million in total from the tax, with $4.7 million from the first quarter of the year and $5.8 million in the second quarter, spokeswoman Cyndi Wilder told Fox Business.
{mosads}The city council passed the tax of 1.75 cents per fluid ounce on the distribution of sugary beverages, syrups and concentrates last June. The tax does not include diet sodas and drinks with milk as a primary ingredient.
The network noted that it’s unclear if the tax has changed buying habits of the sugary beverages. Advocates for the measure argued that it would cause price increases and deter people from buying the drinks, which have been linked to health issues such as Type 2 diabetes.
Other cities have attempted to place similar measures on the beverages, but have faced steep opposition from industry groups.
California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in June signed a ban on cities passing soda taxes for more than a decade.
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