Measure Z was a big win for Santa Cruz, California, public health and democracy, write James Krieger and Jennifer Falbe, researchers from the University of Washington and UC Davis who have evaluated sweetened drink taxes in the Bay Area and Seattle. By beating Big Soda – which outspent the locally funded initiative 30 to 1 – Santa Cruz has become a role model for other communities, they say. It also created a challenge to Big Soda: Will the beverage industry push to overturn a democratic election?
