Teamsters Fight Back Against Philadelphia's Proposed Soda Tax

[ABFwife]

Soda Tax Defies Predictions With $5.7M In Revenue To Date

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)–New figures released by the city this morning show the Philadelphia beverage tax brought in nearly $6 million in its first month.

That’s more than twice what the city projected but less than what it needs to collect each month to fund Mayor Jim Kenney’s ambitious anti-poverty program.

Kenney has been irritated by retailers’ and distributors’ complaints that the tax might force them to cut hours or lay off workers– calling it the fear mongering that accompanies any new tax.

“The world was coming to an end with the cigarette tax, the world was coming to an end with the (liquor by the) drink tax, and it never came to an end. What’s coming to an end is hopefully poverty and a lack of education among our kids.”

Soda Tax Defies Predictions With $5.7M In Revenue, City Officials Say « CBS Philly

[crazy]

Soda Tax Defies Predictions With $5.7M In Revenue To Date




Soda Tax Defies Predictions With $5.7M In Revenue, City Officials Say « CBS Philly

Kenney has been irritated by retailers’ and distributors’ complaints that the tax might force them to cut hours or lay off workers– calling it the fear mongering that accompanies any new tax.

Well that didn't work out too well for this guy with his statement..

Soda companies, supermarkets report 30-50 pct. sales drop from soda tax

Two months into the city’s sweetened-beverage tax, supermarkets and distributors are reporting a 30 percent to 50 percent drop in beverage sales and are planning for layoffs.

One of the city's largest distributors says it will cut 20 percent of its workforce in March, and an owner of six ShopRite stores in Philadelphia says he expects to shed 300 workers this spring.

“People are seeing sales decline larger than anything they’ve seen up to this point in the city,” said Alex Baloga, vice president of external relations at the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association.

[ABFwife]

Mass Layoffs Announced Today As A Result Of Philadelphia Beverage Tax

(PHILADELPHIA) –The following is a statement from Teamsters Local Union 830 Secretary-Treasurer Daniel H. Grace on the layoffs announced today by Pepsi:

“Our worst fears have been realized. Today, PepsiCo announced the devastating layoffs of 80 to 100 employees in Philadelphia as a direct result of the city’s onerous and discriminatory beverage tax.

“PepsiCo reported a staggering 43 percent drop in business in the city since January 1, 2017, the day the beverage tax went into effect. Canada Dry is also laying off 25 workers due to a sharp decline in sales because of the tax. Coca-Cola is planning a similarly bleak announcement in the near future. The carnage won’t end there.

“I cannot even begin to calculate the number of my members who now face unemployment as a result of today’s news. We predicted this dire outcome from the outset. We pleaded with City Council members and our fellow union brothers and sisters in Philadelphia to stand with us against this outrageous tax, but to no avail. I hope they can live with themselves after knowing that their actions led to the devastation of an industry in the city and the loss of so many family-sustaining jobs.”

https://teamster.org/news/2017/03/ma...a-beverage-tax

[ABFwife]

Local 727 Applauds Repeal of Job-Killing Beverage Tax

(

CHICAGO) -- Teamsters Local 727 applauds the repeal of the Cook County Beverage Tax Ordinance today by the Cook County Board of Commissioners. The repeal, which goes into effect December 1, means that working families will no longer be required to pay an exorbitant amount of money for soft drinks, fruit juices and other beverages. It also means that Chicago-area beverage industry workers, thousands of whom are represented by Local 727, will no longer be at risk of losing their jobs as a result of the tax.

It was estimated that more than 6,000 jobs could be shed by the industry because of the penny-per-ounce beverage tax. Additionally, estimates projected lost wages as high as $321 million for beverage production workers and delivery drivers. Cook County was expected to lose $1.3 billion in economic activity with businesses shuttered and consumers shopping beyond Cook County for groceries and beverages.

“Finally, the Cook County Board has done the right thing for millions of consumers and thousands of beverage industry workers in the metropolitan area,” said John Coli Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. “From the first day this poorly-constructed tax plan was introduced, Local 727 remained committed to protecting hardworking Teamsters and their good-paying jobs. Our legislators need to pursue sustainable solutions to satisfy the budget without nickel-and-diming Cook County’s working families time after time.”

https://teamster.org/news/2017/10/lo...g-beverage-tax

[222lifer]

Philadelphia Teamsters to hold REPEAL the Beverage Tax rally on Thursday, October 19 at city hall.

https://teamster.org/news/2017/10/ph...hursday-oct-19

Sent from my SM-J327T using Tapatalk

[ABFwife]

Teamsters Urge Philadelphia City Council To Repeal The Beverage Tax

(PHILADELPHIA) – Teamsters from the tri-state area rallied this morning outside of city hall to demand that the city council repeal the beverage tax. Since its enactment in January, the beverage tax, which levies a tax on bottles cans and fountain drinks, has resulted in hundreds of people losing their jobs and has cost retailers a large part of the beverage market.


“This beverage tax has been horrible for our city and working families throughout the area,” said Danny Grace, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 830 which represents drivers, fleet mechanics, production-line, warehouse workers and merchandisers in soft drink production facilities.

Just last week, Cook County, Ill., which includes the city of Chicago, repealed their version of the beverage tax citing its inability to raise the funds it was predicted to and the adverse economic impact it was having on Illinois families.

https://teamster.org/news/2017/10/te...l-beverage-tax

[ABFwife]

Pa. Supreme Court to hear soda tax case

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court said Tuesday that it will consider the legality of Philadelphia’s tax on soda and other sweetened beverages, giving fresh hope to opponents of the controversial levy.

The court said it would hear the American Beverage Association and other local businesses’ appeal of a Commonwealth Court decision last year to uphold the controversial tax. The rest of the country will be watching the outcome. Philadelphia became the first major U.S. city to pass a tax on soda in 2016, and a number of other cities have since considered or implemented similar taxes.

Justices will weigh whether the 1.5-cent-per-ounce levy amounts to a double tax. Pennsylvania law prohibits the city from imposing a levy on something already taxed by the state. The tax is imposed on distributors, but lawyers representing the beverage industry and local retailers argued that the levy is being passed on to consumers, who already pay sales tax.

Pa. Supreme Court to hear soda tax case - Philly

[ABFwife]

Well here is a twist in this whole story. I think I will elaborate on these IBEW leaders in the "Other Union News" thread.

Philadelphia Soda Tax More Revenge Than Reform

Maybe the Arnold Foundation wasn’t as effective in promoting and protecting the Philadelphia soda tax as was previously suggested.

The federal indictment of a Philadelphia union leader and city councilman has shown that the city’s 1.5-cents-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages – often referred to as the “soda tax” – was likely pushed as a means of killing jobs in a rival union. And it doesn’t stop there!

According to the 116-count indictment, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 business manager John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty told another union official: “They’re going to start to put a tax on soda again, and that will cost the Teamsters 100 jobs in Philly.” When the mayor’s office tried to sell Johnny Doc on the health benefits of the soda tax, he replied, “You don’t have to explain to me. I don’t give a f–.”

So much for the sake of the children.

Johnny Doc’s animosity for the Teamsters is said to have stemmed from a union rift involving business at the city’s convention center and the Teamsters’ endorsement of a mayoral candidate to rival the IBEW-backed Jim Kenney. Philadelphia City Councilman Bobby Henon’s support was allegedly bought with an IBEW salary and sports tickets.

https://nationalcenter.org/ncppr/201...e-than-reform/