Pepsi is moving out of Baltimore due to the city's burdensome soda tax.
Nanny state bureaucrats in Baltimore, Md., are responsible for adding another 75 of the struggling city’s workers to the unemployment ranks, courtesy of their war against obesity. Pepsi-Cola announced it will no longer produce soda in ‘Charm City’ as a result of the recently passed two cent per container soda tax.
“In the case of Baltimore, as you may know, there was a beverage tax that was passed here and in this case, it did not help in the decision in terms of keeping the Baltimore plant open,” said Pepsi spokesperson Mark Dollins.
Baltimore grocers also report that the soda tax has had an adverse affect on their bottom lines as shoppers are traveling outside of city limits to purchase sugar-sweetened beverages.
“I’m just shocked that [Pepsi's] pulling out and I asked them if there was anything we could do at the city level with Baltimore Development Corporation and try to offer some kind of incentive and they said it was too far down the line,” said City Council President Jack Young.
This is what happens, Jack, when big government over-regulates and over-burdens private businesses, both large and small, with needless taxes that eliminate any economic incentives keeping them in your city versus somewhere else with fiscally responsible leaders who would be more than happy to make ample accommodations that might help shrink their unemployment rosters and boost their economies in these difficult times.
