City councilor will introduce “Sugar Tax” on Wednesday
By Logan Hall
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BOSTON (WBZ) — It could cost you more to get a soda soon. The Boston City Council is proposing a tax on sugary drinks, saying the money on unhealthy beverages can be put to good use.
A benefit for public health?
City Councilor Sharon Durkan plans to bring the tax idea before the Boston City Council on Wednesday to start the conversation about what rates would look like.
“I’ve heard from a lot of residents in my district who are supportive of a tax on sugary beverages, but they want to make sure that these funds are used for public health,” said City Councilor Sharon Durkan, who is introducing the “Sugar Tax,” modeled on Philadelphia and Seattle. Durkan said in Philadelphia and Seattle, both cities have seen less people consuming sugary drinks and are investing in the community.
Durkan said it’s a great way to introduce and fund health initiatives and slowly improve public health.
“I think it’s an important conversation for Boston to have about our health,” said Durkan ahead of the hearing on Wednesday. She also compared sugar to alcohol and tobacco. “We already know that sugar is bad for you.”
Durkan, who grew up in Atlanta, said she was inspired by seeing childhood friends develop health risks like Type II diabetes from drinking sugary sodas.
A study from Boston University found that cities that implemented a tax on sugary drinks saw a 33% decrease in sales.
“What it does is it creates an environment where we are discouraging the use of something that we know, over time, causes cancer, causes diet-related diseases, causes obesity and other diet-related illnesses,” she said.
Soda drinkers say no to “Sugar Tax”
Soda drinkers don’t see the benefit.
Delaney Doidge stopped by the store to get a mid-day pick-me-up on Tuesday.
“I wasn’t planning on getting anything, but we needed toilet paper, and I wanted a Diet Coke, so I got a Diet Coke,” she said, adding that a tax on sugary drinks is an overreach, forcing her to ask: What’s next?
“Then we’d have to tax everything else that brings people enjoyment,” Doidge said. “If somebody wants a sweet treat, they deserve it, no tax.”
Store owners said they’re worried about how an additional tax would impact their businesses.
Massachusetts considered a similar tax in 2017.
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