cliff. The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest said a penny-an-ounce tax would yield $160
billion over 10 years.
"Soda and sugary drinks are fueling an epidemic of costly diseases, and the fact that these drinks are dirt
cheap is part of the problem," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson in a written statement. "A
truly balanced approach to deficit reduction should not leave this easy money on the table."
The group also targeted increased taxes on alcoholic beverages for an additional $14 billion a year. It said
those taxes have not increased in more than 20 years. To make his case, Jacobson wrote to members of
the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, as well as budget committees
for both the House and Senate. He noted that more than 30 states have placed excise or sales taxes on
sugar-sweetened drinks to boost funds.
It's a controversial, but not new, idea. It has also been supported by the Economic Policy Institute and the
Bipartisan Policy Center. Former Secretary of Treasury Lawrence Summer told tax economists, "Mark
my words, this one will come," according to a story in the Washington Post.
The Peterson Foundation wanted to expand ideas to reduce the deficit over time and recently hired five
think tanks to come up with plans. The groups include the Center for American Progress and the
Economic Policy Institute on the more liberal side, the conservative American Action Forum and the
Heritage Foundation, and the more neutral Bipartisan Policy Center. Of those, BPC and EPI want taxes
on sweetened drinks, according to the Post's Wonkblog.
Some state legislatures have already adopted some form of sugar tax, while others are considering it. For
instance, WCAX said the Vermont Legislature will consider the issue early next year. It won't be the first
time that body has considered a tax on sweetened drinks, but it may have a more realistic chance of
passing this time around, the station said. Deseret News
