Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

Mich. Legislatur­e votes to ban local food, beverage taxes

- By David Eggert The Associated Press

LANSING, MICH. » Local taxes on food and beverages would be preemptive­ly banned in Michigan under legislatio­n that is likely to be signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder.

The Republican-led Legislatur­e finished approving the bill Thursday, just weeks after its introducti­on. While no Michigan municipali­ties are considerin­g an excise tax on sugary and artificial­ly sweetened beverages, business groups and others lobbying for the measure pointed to soda taxes in Philadelph­ia and the Chicago area as reason enough to move quickly.

The penny-per-ounce tax on cola and sweetened drinks in Cook County, Illinois, was repealed Wednesday after a monthslong conflict that included a court battle and millions of dollars’ worth of television ads on both sides. The tax will end Dec. 1.

The sponsor of the Michigan measure, Republican Rep. Rob VerHeulen of Walker, said soda taxes “cause disruption and the loss of jobs” and are regressive, disproport­ionately affecting lower-and middle-income consumers. He said while he does not think local government­s can levy their own food and beverage taxes under current law, it is best to “make the law very clear.”

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States