Read the transcript for this report below.
ELIZABETH ARAKELIAN, HOST: A Fresno-based non-profit organization wants to bring a soda-tax to the region. It would place a small fee on sugar-sweetened drinks in cities that enact the measure. KVPR’s Esther Quintanilla reports.
ESTHER QUINTANILLA: In 2020, Cultiva la Salud sued the state of California over a bill that would penalize cities if they enacted a sugary drink tax. This year, a judge ruled in the group’s favor and deemed the measure “unenforceable.” Cultiva la Salud is now interested in bringing the measure to the Valley. Genoveva Islas is the director of the organization.
GENOVEVA ISLAS: If we're hoping to reduce obesity, if we're hoping to reduce diabetes, one of the important strategies is to disincentivize people from drinking so much.
QUINTANILLA: She says cities should have the option of investing the tax revenue into communities.
ISLAS: We could do a variety of things, introducing more community gardens, farmer's markets, maybe helping to establish full service grocery stores in more of these underserved neighborhoods.
QUINTANILLA: It could take several months of coordination with local leaders to implement a soda tax. For KVPR News, I’m Esther Quintanilla