A New Beverage Tax in Washington Will Harm Working Families, Small Businesses And Their Employees
During the 2022 legislative session, lawmakers proposed a 1.75 cent per ounce tax on any beverage with sugar, including soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, teas and coffee drinks. We anticipate a beverage tax proposal will return in 2023.
Meet our members who are standing in opposition against a new beverage tax, like Derek Baziotis, owner of Bene’s Restaurant:
We know that a new beverage tax in Washington will harm working families, small businesses and their employees.
As our state struggles now with the historic rises of inflation, while still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, we should not be placing more burdens on working families and local businesses.
NOW IS THE WRONG TIME TO IMPOSE NEW REGRESSIVE AND UNFAIR TAXES ON WASHINGTON WORKING FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
An increased tax will….
Devastate local restaurants.
Local businesses have already struggled to keep their doors open during historic rises of inflation, while still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic; this tax would devastate the recovery of Washington’s local restaurants.
Put pressure on household budgets.
The cost of living is already too high for working families in Washington and this will make their household grocery budgets even more expensive.
Deprive Washington state of revenue.
A beverage tax will send shoppers to Oregon or Idaho, which would threaten Washington jobs and revenue.
