COOK COUNTY – It took Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's vote to break the tie for the county's controversial penny-an-ounce tax soda tax. And thanks to that vote, Cook County grocers say they're losing sales to neighboring counties. Some of them close to 50 percent.
Cook County store owners and the Illinois Food Merchants Association report:
- Butera's in Norridge: Lost 47% of its beverage sales
- Tony's Fresh Market: District manager reports unprecedented outrage and anger over soda tax
- Valley Produce: An 11 percent drop in grocery and beverage sales since soda tax
- Illinois Food Merchants Association: over 40 percent of Cook County stores have lost 30 percent of their beverage sales; over 15 percent have lost 40 percent or more in beverage sales
A repeal of the soda tax will be heard in the county board's finance committee next week, and Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison says the repeal will face the whole board in October. Eleven votes would be needed to override a veto by President Preckwinkle.
