AP TICKER: Recently, Mayor Nutter proposed a 25 cent tax on soda pop to restore school district funding for things like all-day Kindergarten and school bus service. To which the soda pop lobby responded like the sky was falling. “It would decrease soda consumption and kill jobs”, they screamed, howled and belched. It’s true that studies show that when the price of delicious, life-giving soda goes up, consumption goes down. But in the middle of an epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes, is that such a bad thing? I think we can all agree that NO that is not a bad thing. Of course, if consumption goes down, some jobs could be lost. Good union jobs. But are they? really? Or are they immoral union jobs? Isn’t the willful manufacture and distribution of a product that is so toxic and destructive by definition immoral? Isn’t that like saying it’s wrong to tax the shit out of tobacco — which we do — because it will kill good union jobs making a product that certifiably kills people? I can’t answer that question for you. Only you can, Mr. Teamster Man. You have to take a long look into your heart of hearts and ask yourself: Do ya feel lucky, punk? Huh? Do you? Keep sucking down that soda, son. You’re gonna be wearing a moo moo one day and die fat and alone. Real fat. They’re gonna have to use a forklift to take your bloated corpse out of your trash-strewn, feces-ridden house and bury you in a piano case if you keep drinkin’ that soda pop, Mr. Teamster Man. I’m AP Ticker and you can take that job and shove it.
RELATED: Unions representing people who make and deliver soda joined with a few politicians to denounce Philadelphia’s proposed tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. As beverage trucks encircled City Hall honking, union members and politicians rallied against the sugar-sweetened drink tax. Former City Controller Jonathan Saidel says the tax will hurt business and drive people out of the city to buy beverages. “They put this tax in, I got to go to Montgomery County, sneak around to get soda.” MORE
PHAWKER: [rolls eyes] If Mr. Saidel wants a soda we will give him the frickin’ quarter!
PHILLY CLOUT: “This is a standup, leadership moment,” Nutter said this afternoon. The district faces a $629 million funding gap for the fiscal year that starts July 1 and Superintendent Arlene Ackerman has asked for funds to stave off cuts. The city is already set to provide $815 million in tax revenues and grant funding to the district. But many Council members still don’t seem swayed by Nutter’s rhetoric and with no clear majority for soda or property taxes some remain interested in another option – taking up to $30 million from the city’s $51 million surplus fund balance in next year’s budget and providing those dollars to the district. The city has warned that such a move would force cuts, including the cancellation of a 120 member planned police academy class. MORE