Philadelphia Council introduces bill to phase out soda tax
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney just got handed a new and potentially dire challenge to the city’s soda tax — the signature achievement of his first term.
A bill introduced by City Councilwoman María Quiñones-Sánchez at a City Council meeting on Thursday would gradually phase out a portion of the tax on sweetened beverages through 2021. The bill lacks specific numbers, so it could phase out the tax entirely or just reduce it.
The bill is the most serious challenge to hit the levy on sugary drinks since it survived a legal challenge from the beverage industry in 2018.