The Seattle City Council approved a tax on distributors of sugary drinks, like soda, to raise funding for healthy food and education programs, The Seattle Times reports.
The council approved a tax rate of 1.75 cents per ounce of liquid. Proponents said the tax would reduce consumption of unhealthy beverages, particularly in low-income neighborhoods, according to the article.
Council members debated which beverages should be affected by the tax. Councilors exempted the following beverages from the tax: diet soda, baby formula, medicine, weight-loss drinks and 100 percent fruit juice. However, sports drinks including Gatorade, energy drinks like Red Bull and fruit-flavored drinks like Sunny D will be taxed.
As of Thursday, the fate of some beverages — such as barista-made coffee drinks and bubble tea — is still unclear. The bill exempts beverages in which the main ingredient is milk, but the bill does not clearly state whether the syrups used in flavored lattes will be taxed.
Seattle joins the ranks of other cities and counties that have adopted similar taxes, including Berkeley, Calif.; Philadelphia; and Cook County, Ill., which includes Chicago.