How About a Sweetened Beverage Tax Here in Tri-Cities?

In case you haven't heard, there is a new tax in the Seattle area on sweetened beverages. The fee was created to hopefully discourage consumers from buying sugary drinks while raising revenue for nutrition and education programs. The city council passed the fee, and it kicked in on January 1. I've already seen several Facebook posts of people who are not so happy about the tax. The fee is 1.75 cents per ounce, so on an 8 ounce can of whatever, the additional amount is 14 cents. Now, it may not seem like much, but over time that can add up. Especially when buying in bulk. People are very divided on if the program will work, or if people will just go buy their beverages outside the area. Also, some have brought up that it could hit small businesses hard. Others till say that it will serve to help people make healthy choices. It's a heated battle for sure.

So, what do you think Tri-Cities? Would you ever support something like that here, or no? Thanks to a proposed initiative, it could go state wide! Take the poll and see where we stand here. And if you're reading this from Seattle, TC is a bit far to drive for a soda, but if you want to stock up on a visit, we won't tell anyone. *winks*