Promising a one-two punch to obesity while filling the pockets of cash-strapped government programs, Philadelphia is on the verge of becoming only the second city in the nation to institute a tax on soda. Last week, the City Council announced a majority of its members had reached an agreement on a 1.5-cents-per-ounce tax on sugar-added and artificially sweetened beverages. The measure is expected to receive final approval at the council’s meeting this Thursday.
The revenue from the tax—approximately $91 million during the next year—will fund pre-K expansion, community schools and reinvestments in parks and recreation centers, in addition to padding the city’s general fund.