The Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a penny-per-ounce beverage tax
11/15/16
From the Cook County Beverage Tax Coalition
The Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a penny-per-ounce beverage tax this afternoon after hours of testimony from those for and against the tax.
The tax was passed without a majority of commissioners in favor. During the finance committee meeting, the vote was tied 8-8. A special meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners followed where President Toni Preckwinkle made an unprecedented procedural move to break the tie vote, therefore passing the tax.
We wanted to thank everyone who not only attended the meeting today but the previous public hearings. We appreciate your time and energy voicing your opposition to the regressive tax proposal. We are working with several media outlets on the vote outcome.
For reference, we issued the following statement from for the Cook County Coalition Against Beverage Taxes:
“Today the Cook County Board of Commissioners chose to place a regressive beverage tax on working families. This will result in fewer jobs, lower incomes and higher grocery bills. Consumers and small businesses will now have to pay the price and bear the burden of Cook County’s budget deficit. Our broad coalition of individuals, small businesses, labor groups and restaurants will continue talking with Commissioners and the community about the effects of this tax.”
Please reach out if you have any questions.
Best,
Claudia Rodriguez
Acting Executive Director | Illinois Beverage Association,
Member – No Cook County Beverage Tax Coalition