Yingling Backing Measure to Prevent Expansion of Cook County’s Beverage Tax

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To address growing concerns about Cook County’s regressive penny per ounce sweetened beverage tax, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, is sponsoring new legislation to prevent local governments from implementing similar beverage taxes in Lake County.

“The hard-working people I represent can’t afford new taxes on their groceries,” Yingling said. “The solution to government’s financial woes cannot be at the expense of struggling and middle-class families. A grocery tax unfairly increases the tax load carried by middle-class families. My bill will prevent our local governments from copying Cook County’s beverage tax and nickel and diming local consumers.”

Yingling is continuing his push to give residents a break from high taxes by sponsoring House Bill 4083 in response to Cook County’s penny per ounce tax on sweetened beverages, which hikes taxes on some orange juice and vegetable juices, certain coffees and teas, flavored waters and diet sodas in addition to sugar-sweetened beverages. Yingling’s measure would prevent any municipality or county from implementing a similar tax in the future.

“Instead of regressive taxes, we must modernize and reform our tax code so that people who make more pay a higher rate and people who make less pay a lower rate. That way, we can provide an environment where small businesses can grow and middle-class families can thrive,” Yingling continued. “I fought to ensure a beverage tax wasn’t included in any state budget plan, and I’ll continue to fight for the taxpayers of Lake County.”