Santa Fe Says ‘No’ to Soda Tax

New Mexico voters rejected a tax increase on sweetened beverages.

May 04, 2017

SANTA FE, N.M. – The Associated Press reports that Santa Fe, New Mexico, voters rejected a tax increase on sweetened beverages this week, which included sports drinks, iced teas, caffeinated energy drinks and lemonade, while diet soda and pure juices would have been exempt.

The May 2 special election came after similar taxes were adopted last year in U.S. cities from Philadelphia to San Francisco, writes the AP. Proponents of the tax, including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales, claimed the additional revenue was needed to expand “high-quality preschool to 1,000 children whose families cannot afford or find it—and improve public health in the process by discouraging the heavy consumption of sugar,” the AP added.

Soda tax opponents, including the American Beverage Association, warned that the tax would increase the cost of a can of soda by nearly 25 cents and place a burden on poor and working-class families.

One Santa Fe resident told the AP that she voted against tax, saying the city needs to find another source of revenue if it wants to expand pre-kindergarten. "The government should learn how to balance their budget in better ways," she said.

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