Facing Fiscal Crisis, El Monte Mulls Sugary Beverage Tax
On Tuesday, the El Monte City Council will consider a plan to declare a fiscal emergency as the city faces a combination of low revenues, high labor costs and reduced state funding. City Finance Director Julio Morales said the declaration would allow the city to hold a special election this fall for a proposal to implement a one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, which could generate as much as $7 million in total annual revenue.
- "El Monte Seeks Sugary-Drink Tax To Shore up Budget" (Allen, Los Angeles Times, 7/24).