Moylan Sponsors Measure Repealing Cook County Beverage Tax

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Continuing to stand up against harmful taxes impacting residents, state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, is sponsoring legislation to repeal the Cook County Beverage Tax.

“Many of the residents I have spoken to cannot afford to pay any new taxes,” Moylan said. “This beverage tax is just another attempt by out-of-touch politicians to nickel and dime hard-working families in Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, and Park Ridge.”

Earlier this month, the Cook County Sweetened-Beverage tax took effect and taxes all sweetened beverages within the county at the rate of one cent per ounce. Moylan believes this is an unfair tax pushed through by Cook County and Chicago politicians. The county’s tax raises the average cost of a 2-liter soda by 67 percent, and raises the average cost of a bottle of fruit juice or iced tea by 43 percent.

Moylan’s House Bill 4083 would eliminates Cook County’s “penny-per-ounce” tax on sweetened beverages, which even raises taxes on orange juice and vegetable juices, certain coffees and teas, flavored waters and diet sodas. His measure would also prohibit any local government in Illinois from implementing such taxes in the future.

“This tax greatly increases the cost of groceries and adds yet another tax burden to local families,” Moylan said. “Even more concerning is that this tax will hurt local businesses and jeopardize jobs in our community, by pushing residents to shop outside of Cook County. I encourage all residents who disagree with this tax to sign my petition so we can show Cook County officials that we cannot afford to continue to pay these taxes.”

For more information about this issue, or to sign and/or circulate a petition for the repeal of the beverage tax, please contact Moylan’s full-time constituent office at 847-635-6821 or email StateRepMoylan@gmail.com.