Soda Tax Opposition Urged

OGDENSBURG - Scott M. Wright, whose family owns Pepsi-Cola Ogdensburg Bottlers, Inc., wants opposition to the tax on soda to continue because state legislators might still try to pass the so-called obesity tax to balance the budget.

"We want people to continue to keep putting pressure on our representatives," according to the route supervisor for the Ogdensburg family business. "They [legislators] have been known to sneak stuff through the back door."

Gov. David A. Paterson proposed an excise tax on beverage syrups and soft drinks at a rate of $7.68 per gallon for syrups and $1.28 per gallon or a "penny an ounce" for bottled drinks and powders in his 2010-2011 budget.

The "obesity tax" is projected to generate $1 billion annually when fully implemented and reduce consumption of the drinks by 15 percent.

A number of Democratic senators are opposed to the plan, along with the entire Republican conference. With a 31-30 Democrat-Republican split in the chamber, the measure isn't expected to draw the minimum 32 votes needed for passage.

Mr. Wright has said the tax will hurt his family's business as well as bars and restaurants across the county. Costs for fountain soda for bars and restaurants are expected to increase by 74 percent if the tax is implemented, according to Mr. Wright.

He says that when looking at numbers from 2008 the company would have had to pay $2.9 million to the state with the new tax. That's money that would have been taken from families and businesses in St. Lawrence County.

In February, Mr. Wright and others organized a rally at city hall opposing the tax, drawing approximately 50 supporters.

Mr. Wright wants supporters to keep up the fight so this measure does not get passed, especially through "back door" negotiations during the state budget process.

"We don't want somebody trading something else for that tax," Mr. Wright said. "We're going to stay vigilant about it."