Part of a potential compromise at the statehouse would make Illinois the first state with a tax on sugary drinks, like soda.
It’s among new legislation that’s meant to end the budget stalemate and bring in more tax dollars.
Just a few cities in the U.S., and Cook County have such a tax on the books. In past debates, opponents said a soda tax means a nanny state where the government tells people what’s bad for them.
But studies show the taxes have brought down sugary drink consumption by as much as 20 percent, which is a big win for anti-obesity and public health advocates. Jennifer Falbe, an author of one study on a tax in Berkeley, California, says the effect also has to do with how the revenue is spent.
“Two million dollars were raised by the tax, have been allocated by the local city government back into programs for promoting community health,” she said.
That may be one big distinction from the Illinois version.
As the legislation stands, revenue from the penny per ounce tax would simply go to the state for general spending.
Illinois has the 18th highest rate of obesity in the nation, at 30 percent. ?Governor Bruce Rauner declined to comment on the idea, saying he doesn't want to interrupt negotiations in the General Assembly.
