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Byko: Soda tax: Charge less, collect more

City Council balks at a 3-cent-an-ounce tax, comes up with some numbers of its own

I've mentioned before being perplexed by the apparent failure of Mayor Kenney to have his City Council votes lined up before springing the World's Largest Soda Tax on Philadelphia.

Perplexed I might have been, but it seems clear he did not do his required political homework.

Today brings a revelation that Council has crunched its own numbers and found a smaller tax could bring in greater revenue.

Well, that's a kick in the head.

The 3-cent tax "doesn't make a lot of sense," says Council-at-Large member Allan Domb, who has more business experience than the rest of Council combined.

I'm guessing Council will not go for the 3-cent tax and I now wonder if Kenney deliberately picked that high number so that he could later "compromise" it down to a more reasonable number.

Under that strategy, we are no longer arguing about the soda tax itself, but how large it should be.

That would be smart politics, but it would probably mean less revenue, money that would have to be found elsewhere for pre-K, community schools and rec centers.

Yes, I know the studies say a lower tax would bring in more money. I'm not saying it's not true, I am saying it is contra logical, but then so are some computer programs.

If  revenue falls short, you know what's next.

Cheesesteak tax.