Soda tax? Ortiz wants consumers to pay more for sugary drinks
Michael Bloomberg suffered a major setback in his plan to prevent New Yorkers from consuming super-sized sugary sodas, but an ally of the mayor’s in the fight against obesity is preparing for battle on another front.
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Sunset Park-Bay Ridge) said he thinks New York State should charge a tax on soda. Ortiz is drafting a bill that would put a surcharge of one penny per ounce on sugary drinks. A 20-ounce soda would carry a tax of 20 cents, for instance.
Under Ortiz’s plan, the tax revenue would be used to fund childhood nutrition programs, physical education, and health awareness in schools.