Quick Take
Big Soda has long targeted low-income families and communities of color by hooking them on unhealthy, sugary drinks, write local leaders Sepideh Taghvaei, Elaine Johnson and Scott Roseman. These communities have higher rates of diabetes, obesity and dental decay. Santa Cruz city ballot initiative Measure Z will right that historic inequity, they argue, by taxing these sugary drinks and reducing consumption by the most vulnerable populations. The revenues will then fund city programs and services that maintain community health, overseen by a citizen board. They encourage a yes vote on Measure Z.
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We – the chief dental officer at Dientes Community Dental, the president of NAACP Santa Cruz, and the founder of New Leaf Community Markets – support Measure Z and are here to tell you why.
Santa Cruz, like cities across California, is faced with a growing epidemic of diet-related diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dental decay and obesity.
We have bountiful nature, but we also have a higher rate of overweight kids than the California average. The numbers, found in Dignity Health’s 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment for Santa Cruz County, are unsettling, and it’s our low-income residents and people of color who are disproportionately affected.
Now is the time to act so these preventable diseases do not jeopardize the health of our children and community.
Sugary drinks like sodas – the largest source of added sugars in the American diet – are a major contributor to this epidemic.
A powerful solution is the city’s proposed sugar-sweetened beverage tax – Measure Z.
The tax is on the ballot this fall, and if it passes, it will reduce sales of unhealthy sugary drinks and generate revenues that can fund city programs and services that maintain community health (such as clean beaches, maintained sports fields and programs serving BIPOC community members).
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The tax empowers a community oversight body to ensure funds are directed toward initiatives that benefit our community. Our opposition – funded heavily by the beverage industry – is trying to claim this is illegal, but we stand with legal experts who affirm that this measure is within our rights to bring to the voters and that the state’s imposition is unconstitutional.
Why does this matter to you?
A single 20-ounce soda contains 16 packets of sugar — far more than health experts recommend for daily consumption.
Implementation of these taxes across the country – in places like San Francisco; Berkeley; Philadelphia; Boulder, Colorado – have shown that these taxes benefit impacted communities the most.
A UC Berkeley Study shows that after excise taxes were placed on sugary beverages, purchases declined dramatically and steadily – by 33% – across five American cities. Additionally, a Kaiser Foundation study released just this year shows that youth in the cities with SSB taxes had an overall lower average BMI (Body Mass Index) percentile after taxes were passed.
These are the types of long-term outcomes our community is seeking.
Big Soda has long targeted low-income and communities of color; Measure Z will help reduce consumption and soda-related diseases in these communities and direct funds toward healthy initiatives that serve them, creating a healthier, more equitable Santa Cruz.
When sugary beverages cost more, people buy them less. It makes the healthy choice the more easy and affordable choice to make, leaving more money for essentials like healthier food.That leaves more money for essentials like healthier food. With a community advisory body ensuring funds go where they’re needed most, this tax doesn’t just raise revenue — it creates real, equitable change in the communities that need it most.
The business community in Santa Cruz backs Measure Z because it thoughtfully aligns with local values. This 2 cents-per-ounce tax on the distribution of sugary drinks targets only harmful sugary beverages and does not affect essential beverages like dairy, baby formula, 100% fruit juice and medical products.
It’s a tax on Big Soda and soda distributors, not groceries or local small businesses.
In fact, three-quarters of businesses in Santa Cruz, including more than half of local convenience stores, are exempt from the tax because it applies only to businesses that make more than $500,000 in gross revenue annually. In U.S. cities with taxes, small businesses have thrived and employment in the food retail sector (like supermarkets and restaurants) has grown. This thoughtful balance between health and economic well-being reflects the core values of Santa Cruz — supporting both community health and protecting local business in a way that benefits everyone.
All the tax revenue generated from this tax will stay in Santa Cruz. The city council, with oversight from a community body, will invest the revenue in local programs that reflect the community’s needs. Whether it’s improving parks and our sports fields, creating safe routes to schools or expanding youth and senior programs and programs serving BIPOC community members, the tax revenue will go toward making Santa Cruz a healthier and more vibrant community.
This is the same strategy that has been used with Big Tobacco across the globe and has been proven to be effective.
We trust that Measure Z will benefit the community in a meaningful way. We look to the city’s track record – including the successful children’s fund – as a model of the effective use of advisory bodies.
Measure Z is proudly funded and supported by local community members, elected officials and health organizations committed to improving public well-being. Our opposition is bankrolled by the American Beverage Association, PepsiCo and other corporations that prioritize profits over people.
Voting yes on Measure Z gives Santa Cruz a unique opportunity to invest in a healthier future for our children, families and community. It will reduce health inequities, fund valued services and programs and restore local control and democracy.
If you want that for our community, join us, along with public health and health professionals, local nonprofits, local businesses and local residents in voting yes on Measure Z.
Sepideh Taghvaei is the chief dental officer of Dientes Community Dental. Elaine Johnson is the president of NAACP Santa Cruz. Scott Roseman is the founder of New Leaf Community Markets.