Philadelphia rang in the new year with a controversial new beverage tax on soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks. The tax, which went into effect on Sunday, is the first one of its kind in a major city in the United States.
While the tax is technically 1.5 cents per ounce, which doesn't sound too terrible, when buying a 10-pack of 20 oz bottles those numbers climb pretty quickly. In this case, a 10-pack of Propel flavored water that originally retailed for $5.99 had an additional three dollars tacked on to it in taxes.
From a Facebook post, the Philadelphia sugary drink tax implemented today damn, between that & Pennsylvania gas tax no wonder folk revolted pic.twitter.com/ZUtmufCyQn
— SalenaZito (@SalenaZito) January 2, 2017
Yikes!
Other people were similarly shocked at how six dollars in beverages could be subject to such high taxes, and pointed out that the tax is higher than the one on alcoholic beverages.
$3 in taxes on $6 in beverages? Are you kidding me? https://t.co/yL9Xinkqzb
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) January 2, 2017
Philadelphia's new soda tax causing sticker shock https://t.co/tGKgPMgBFP
— KTNV Action News (@KTNV) January 2, 2017
@johnkim @SalenaZito Alchohol taxed at 10% per drink. "Soda" tax is per ounce. It's crazy. Check out new price of Gatorade in Philly... pic.twitter.com/cKrE4p6CXZ
— Jamie Slonis (@JamieSlonis) January 2, 2017
The soda tax is killing city business already.https://t.co/oME0mqEmJu @NoPhillyTax #philabeveragetax #phillysodatax pic.twitter.com/iNLvagYG4a
— DelawareValleyNews (@DelValNews) January 2, 2017
If you're wondering why 2016 voters chose Republicans to run the government, look at this 50% tax on soda in Democrat-run Philadelphia. https://t.co/ugYMxOVxFK
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) January 2, 2017
