IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED ON PENNY PER OUNCE BEVERAGE TAX
5/31/16
Reminder to Illinois Vendors, family and friends: IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED ON PENNY PER OUNCE BEVERAGE TAX
Please take action immediately and contact your Illinois state representative and state senator and tell them to VOTE NO one the penny per ounce beverage or “Soda TAX.” Get them to tell you how they will vote yet politely remind them that your business and those positions of your staff depend on it.
This tax affects sports drinks, juice, teas and sodas. Follow the link below and fill out the petition from our partners at the Illinois Beverage Association. It will take you two minutes. Think about this: If you lose half your beverage sales you will at least have fought for yourself. If you have not reached out to your legislators well then bless your heart as I really don’t know what to say. However, if you have contacted your legislators previously unfortunately you must do so again as this week the penny per ounce is up for debate as part of the budget talks. When the many organizations that support soda tax claim that it will raise $600 million the legislators are not asking or expecting that soda tax revenue to go toward Illinois Medicade or other health and wellness programs as previously proposed. The money will only be used to plug budget gaps and that has a lot more support right now. Chicago Chicago Democrat, Senator Donnie E. Trotter has been quoted in the press land on the radio last week as pushing the tax.
Please act now and call your legislators and fill out the petition. http://illinoisbeverage.org/take-action/