Berkeley Ballot Measure AA is a new initiative that would increase the city’s current soda tax.
If Measure AA passes, the city will tax sweetened beverages at $0.02 per ounce. Berkeley will also limit advertising for Coca-Cola and Pepsi while promoting clean water and fresh food. The tax revenue will fund nutrition education and community gardening initiatives in public schools.
This isn’t the first time Berkeley has voted on a soda tax. Since 2014, the city has had a $0.01 per ounce tax on sweetened beverages. Economists at UC Berkeley reported a 10% - 20% drop in soda consumption, three months after that measure passed.
Supporters of the bill, such as the Berkeley vs Big Soda Campaign, say the measure will help youth experiencing adverse health conditions caused in part by soft drinks. Black and Latine children in Berkeley have an obesity rate twice as high as white children, while 61% of third graders have experienced tooth decay. Supporters say this measure will further close these gaps by using tax revenue to fund bilingual nutrition programs, community gardening initiatives, and access to hydration and healthy food in low-income communities.
Measure AA’s major sponsor is the American Heart Association, which has contributed over $304,000 to the measure. Dozens of city council members, community organizations, and public health institutions have endorsed it.
Currently, no groups have publicly opposed Measure AA, and the 2014 soda tax was overwhelmingly welcomed by voters. However, the American Beverage Association has tried to sue other cities for similar efforts.
EdSource reported that following the $0.01 tax, the American Beverage Association led an effort to “significantly curtail the abilities of local governments to raise revenue through new taxes.”
Berkeleyside reported that proponents of the ballot measure acknowledged the chance that the soda industry could sue Berkeley if the city adopts the measure. Yet the proponents feel confident that “the law would be on Berkeley’s side”, citing a 2024 ruling by a judge upholding Santa Cruz’s soda tax against the American Beverage Association’s lawsuit.
To recap: A “yes” vote on Berkeley Ballot Measure AA supports replacing the $0.01 per ounce soda tax with a $0.02 tax, which would fund anti-obesity education programs and community gardening initiatives.
A “no” vote would retain the current one-cent-per-ounce soda tax.
