The last: governor of California OKs ban 12-year tax on soft drinks



[ad_1]

SACRAMENTO, CA – The latest on a California effort to ban local soda taxes (all local time):

3 pm

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a measure blocking new local taxes on sodas and other sugary drinks for the next 12 years.

Beverage companies such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo decided to convince local legislatures to block the local taxation of sweetened beverages. . A growing number of cities are seeking taxes to discourage people from drinking beverages related to obesity.

Brown's signature paves the way for the California Business Roundtable to withdraw a voting measure that would require voters to make harder

Brown took heat when a photo emerged showing him alongside lobbyists the drinks industry at the governor's mansion. Brown spokesman says this month's meeting was unrelated to the case

12:35 pm

California bill bans new local taxes on soda for 12 next years is led by Governor Jerry Brown. Both legislative chambers reluctantly approved the law on Thursday in the hope of eliminating a measure of voting that would have made it much harder for local governments to raise taxes.

give up the initiative if the bill is passed. Unions and local governments are concerned that the voting measure will jeopardize government revenues and jobs.

Brown has not taken a stand on the bill, but his finance ministry says the administration will support him. The California Senate has reluctantly approved a measure banning new local taxes on soda for the next 12 years, Democrats saying the beverage industry has placed lawmakers in an untenable position.

The measure approved Thursday is part of an effort to eliminate a measure of voting that would make it much harder for local governments to raise taxes of any kind. The California Business Roundtable will void the vote if legislators ban taxes on soft drinks.

Democrat Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco says the industry "is targeting a nuclear weapon in California government."

The measure now goes to the Assembly, which was to take it later on Thursday.

Arizona and Michigan have preemption laws that block local taxes on soft drinks, and Oregon voters will decide in November.

__

10:00

California legislators should vote to ban local taxes on soft drinks Thursday's debate is the result of a last-minute deal to block a vote-backed measure the beverage industry that would make it much more difficult for cities and counties to raise taxes of any kind.

Manufacturers of soft drinks and other soft drinks are fighting hard against a rising tide of taxation by local governments and are increasingly turning to state legislatures for help. Four California cities and others like Philadelphia and Seattle have taxes on sugary drinks per ounce.

This measure has been sharply reprimanded by public health advocates who consider taxes on soft drinks as a crucial element in their efforts to contain diabetes.

But local authorities reluctantly supported the legislation because they feared the vote measure backed by the industry.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This document may not be published, distributed, rewritten or redistributed.

[ad_2]
Source link