Seattle Mayor Adds Diet Drinks to His Soda Tax ‘To Tackle White Privilege’

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The mayor of Seattle has amended the rules of his proposed soda tax in an effort to combat “white privilege.” Mayor Ed Murray said his tax — which would fund education for minorities– would now include diet drinks because affluent white people tend to consume them more.

Heatstreet reports Murray’s original proposed soda tax called for distributors of sugary drinks to pay 2 cents an ounce, to combat obesity.

It would cover all sodas, energy drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened teas and bottled coffees.

But Murray changed the bill, lowering the tax to 1.75 cents an ounce and included diet drinks because “they are by favored by affluent white city residents,” despite the fact that most diet drinks have no calories and therefore don’t contribute to obesity.

Corrie O'Connor