San Francisco Places Sugary Soda Tax On November Ballot

(AP) —€” San Francisco supervisors have placed an initiative to tax sugary sweetened beverages on the November ballot.

Advocates of the penny-per-ounce tax say the caloric drinks contribute to obesity, diabetes and other health problems. The soda industry says the tax unfairly singles out one product and hurts small business owners.

This would be San Francisco's second attempt in two years to tax the drinks. A 2014 attempt failed to garner the two-thirds approval needed for a dedicated tax. This time, backers are going for a general tax that requires only a simple majority.

Berkeley became the first U.S. city to approve a soda tax in 2014. This month, Philadelphia became the first major U.S. city to approve a tax on sugar-sweetened and diet beverages.

Supervisors submitted the proposed initiative on Tuesday.