Cook County proposed the penny-per-ounce tax for sweetened beverages, which would have become effective on July 1; however, a judge blocked the tax last week. The soda tax would increase the price of sweet drinks, to 30%-50% higher, and it would have raised over 60 million dollars, which would have been used for the expense of other services. Cook County needed more money, but they were not going to increase property tax. Instead of raising the property tax to pay for spending, they decided to raise the sales tax. The people of Cook County would have driven to other nearby counties to avoid spending the extra cost from the tax. This also impacts businesses in a negative way because they will not only lose customers, but also money. …show more content…
A 24-pack that normally cost $16.41 will become $19.29 after the tax is added. The soda tax is a type of sin tax, and a sin tax is used for products that are not good for individuals, such as cigarettes. Several restaurants are planning on eliminating free refill because, the County will charge the syrup used for fountain drinks to $38 for every five-gallon container. “Carbonated soft drinks still represent more than $73 billion in on- and off-premise retail sales in the U.S.” (Chicago Tribune). The tax is on drinks that are bottled and canned, as well as energy drinks, tea, and some fruit/vegetable juices. The first reason why Cook County should not keep the soda tax is because, people will still find another way to get the drinks. Since several families purchase these drinks, they will just go to another county. Some families are on the border of two counties, so they will take their money elsewhere, and purchase products at a cheaper county. Because of these reasons, Cook County put a temporary hold on this