Oppose A New York Soda Tax

The State Executive Budget proposes a penny-per-ounce tax on soda to revenue and fight obesity by deterring consumption.

This tax would not make healthy alternatives like milk or vitamin-rich juices any more affordable. It would not improve food access in neighborhoods without supermarkets or greengrocers. But it would cut into poor families’ limited food budgets, making it even harder to afford sufficient food.

Greater access to affordable, healthy food – not punishing taxes – is the key to fighting diet-related disease and lowering healthcare costs among our city’s most vulnerable.

Help spread the word! Below are actions you can take:

Use these talking points to let Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate President Pro Tempore Malcolm Smith, Majority Leader John Sampson, Governor Paterson and your local state legislators know that you oppose the soda tax: 

• 40 percent of New Yorkers are already having difficulty affording needed food. 
• The tax would not make nutritious alternatives to soda more affordable, or improve access to healthy food in neighborhoods without supermarkets or greengrocers.  
• The tax would cut into poor families’ food budgets, making it even harder to afford sufficient food. 
• Fight obesity and diet-related disease, not by limiting consumers’ food options, but by helping more families afford and have local, permanent to fresh, healthy food.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
Phone: 212.312.1420 (District Office)
           518.455.3791 (Legislative Office)
Email

Senate President Pro Tempore Malcolm Smith
Phone: 718.528.4290 (District Office)
           518.455.2701 (Legislative Office)
Email

Majority Leader John Sampson
Phone: 718.649.7653 (District Office)
           518.455.2788 (Legislative Office)
Email

Governor David Paterson
Phone: 518.474.8390
Email

For more information, read our testimony before the State Senate Health Committee on the sugar-sweetened beverage tax and take a look at our Bank On It blog post talking about the soda tax and the impact on New Yorkers.