Cheh Statement on Big Soda & the Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2019

Communications Director: Kelly Whittier

Cheh Statement on Effort to Remove 1% Sales Tax Increase on Sweetened Drinks to Fund Low-Income Food Programs

Councilmembers McDuffie, Evans, and Todd voted to adjourn today’s budget markup in opposition of an increase to soft drink sales tax

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, May 2^nd,  Councilmember Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) released the following statement in response to an attempt by three members of the Committee on Transportation & the Environment to eliminate a provision to add a 1% sales tax increase to sweetened beverages at grocery and retail stores. The Councilmember’s statement is below:

“Today’s markup of the Committee on Education & the Environment’s Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Report was almost completely derailed by an amendment that attempted to remove a subtitle to increase the sales tax on sweetened beverages by 1%. The revenue generated by this tax will support the Produce Rx program and fund both the Healthy Students Amendment Act and the Healthy Parks Amendment Act—two laws that were unfunded in the Mayor’s budget, but which will provide critical nutrition assistance to low-income, food-insecure children. In the same way that we charge major carbon emitters for their pollution, there is an appropriate funding nexus here where taxes on sugary drinks will help improve access to healthy, nutritious meals. Councilmember McDuffie offered an amendment to strike this provision and, when I ruled that to be procedurally out of order, he moved to adjourn the markup without any vote on the budget report. Councilmembers Evans and Todd supported his motion to adjourn, and Councilmember Allen and I voted in opposition.

It was stunning that a mere 1% sales tax increase on soda and high-sugar drinks would be considered a priority over funding programs that feed children—indeed, such a high priority that three members of my committee were willing to put the committee’s entire budget report at risk. Looking out into the audience at today’s markup, I saw some of our most passionate local food advocates in attendance—the very people who have fought alongside me for food equity and have supported this effort to expand food access for the District’s most vulnerable children. I also saw some other familiar faces: those of the soda industry lobbyists I encountered nearly ten years ago when we lost, by a single vote, the opportunity for an excise tax on soda. Ultimately, today my committee reconvened and voted in support of the proposed budget report, including the 1% sales tax increase. But it seems clear that Big Soda plans to take this fight to the Committee of the Whole, and we must take every action to counter their highly paid lobbyists and allies.

We must not allow the interests of the soda industry to prevail over the health and well-being of our children. I call on my colleagues to stand firm against Big Soda and ask that the public support us in the effort to bring good, nutritious food to those children who need it the most.”

Councilmember McDuffie also introduced an amendment to eliminate a two-year pilot program to exempt the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) from the requirements of the Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) program. The amendment passed by a 3 to 2 vote with Councilmembers Cheh and Allen voting against.

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