Washington Soda Tax
Washington State’s 1989 law taxed 1 cent for every 12 ounces of soda and 75 cents for each gallon of soda syrup. In 1994, a 25 cent increase in the tax on soda syrup was levied while the tax on ready-made soda was repealed. In 1997, the Republican controlled state senate cut the soda syrup tax in half. In 2006 restaurateurs were given a huge tax break on the syrup tax, to be phased in at 25% increments over four years. As of the current fiscal year, the tax has been completely eviscerated. As one employee at the state revenue office told us: “We’re not making any money off of it now.”
Cry Wolf Quotes
This could be $10,000 a year on my bottom line. This is not the way to do it: Every time we need something done raise taxes. I couldn't run my business this way.
If someone can explain to me the rhyme or reason for saddling soft drinks with the cost of building prisons and tapping the phones of imprisoned drug offenders, I would like to hear it.
This is a great example of railroading a program through the system without thought of who will be paying for it or why. There was no public hearing, no contact whatsoever with our industry. The program's goal is worthwhile, but the method of funding and the lack of public input is unconscionable