What IS the point of Santa Fe’s proposed soda tax?

The latest news from the Santa Fe soda tax front is that full-strength (ie. sweetened) soda has been removed from the City Hall vending machine. Only diet and zero-sugar options are available.

Interestingly, while advocates on both sides refused to comment, Sandra Wechsler, campaign manager for Pre-K for Santa Fe, a group working in support of the tax, said the mayor’s proposal is “already working.”

That is an interesting take because a big part of soda tax involves the creation of an expensive new pre-K system. If people stop buying soda (at least at the traditional grocery store as opposed to online, for example), there won’t be money available for the Mayor’s expensive new pre-K program.

If your goal is to force certain vendors to replace sugary soda drinks with diet drinks, then the effort is indeed “already working,” but people could be getting those drinks elsewhere or drinking equally-sugary but untaxed drinks. However, if your goal is to generate enough revenue from selling sugary drinks to create a new government program, you have a VERY long way to go.

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