Scherer Fighting to Block Local Beverage Tax

DECATUR, Ill. – State Rep Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, is calling for a new state law prohibiting additional taxes on fruit juices, flavored waters and sodas from being enacted at the local level.

“Taxing everyday purchases like fruit juices, flavored waters and sodas only adds to the burden of families who are already struggling to make ends meet,” said Scherer. “As we’re seeing in Cook County, the beverage tax is a misguided effort to increase costs for working families, and I refuse to allow such taxes to be implemented in our communities.”

Scherer is working to give residents a break from high taxes and level the playing field for local businesses by co-sponsoring House Bill 4083, which prohibits any local government in Illinois from implementing a “penny-per-ounce” tax on sweetened beverages, including orange juice and vegetable juices, certain coffees and teas, flavored waters and diet sodas.

“Increasing beverage taxes would disproportionally impact low-income families, hurt local small businesses, and destroy jobs,” Scherer said. “The effect on the local economy would be devastating. Instead of over-taxing consumers and putting jobs at risk, we should be prioritizing job creation and economic growth as the means to getting our state back on sound financial footing.”