Oakland Braces For ‘Huge Fight’ As It Votes To Put Soda Tax On Ballot
The fee is projected to raise $6 million to $10 million for the city.
KQED:
Oakland City Council Puts Soda Tax On November Ballot
Oakland’s City Council voted unanimously to place a soda tax on the November ballot. If approved, Oakland would become the second city in the nation, after Berkeley, where a fee is charged on sugar-sweetened beverages. ... The Oakland measure is very similar to the one passed in Berkeley in 2014. It would levy a penny-per-ounce fee on most sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, energy drinks, fruit-flavored beverages and more). The fee would be paid by distributors but is expected to be passed through to consumers. (Aliferis, 5/4)
In other news from across California —
The Huntington Beach Independent:
City Council Agrees To Explore Ways To Regulate Sober-Living Homes
The Huntington Beach City Council agreed Monday to explore regulatory options on the city's sober-living homes and addiction treatment centers, but declined to draft any specific laws on the matter for the time being. The vote marked the first time the council has brought up the topic, which has long plagued other cities throughout Orange County, namely neighboring Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. (Woolsey, 5/4)
The Orange County Register:
Four O.C. Health Clinics Receive Expansion Grants
Four Orange County nonprofit health clinics were awarded federal grants on Wednesday to pay for expansions that will allow them to see more patients. The department of Health and Human Services announced $36.8 million in Affordable Care Act funds to 40 California clinics, which will allow them to treat 159,240 more people. (Perkes, 5/4)