June 13, 2017
We we know, we in Seattle are not the only ones doing battle against a Beverage Tax that threatens to destroy good Union jobs. Philadelphia’s Beverage Tax has been in effect since January of this year, and it has already destroyed 155 jobs while simultaneously bringing in less and less revenue to the City.
Read this letter to the editor written by Teamsters Local 830 Principal Officer Danny Grace. This is what will happen to us and to our City if we don’t keep fighting! Rest assured, the Teamsters are not done yet.
Here is the letter to the editor, which you can also view here.
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EXCLUSIVE: Teamsters 830 leader says 155 laid off thanks to Phila. Beverage Tax
In an exclusive letter to the editor, Daniel H. Grace, of Teamsters Local 830, calls for more action to be taken against the Philadelphia Beverage Tax.
It’s no surprise to Teamsters Local 830 or our colleagues in the beverage industry that revenue generated by Philadelphia’s reviled beverage tax has been much less than the city projected. We predicted it.
The city brought in about $6.5 million in beverage tax revenue in April, which is a significant 7% drop from March when tax revenue hit $7 million.
Meanwhile, the job loss carnage we predicted long ago has hit with a vengeance – 155 of my hard working members have been laid off as a result of tanking sales of beverages in the city due to this onerous tax. That’s 155 Philadelphia families who are now struggling to make ends meet. And that’s just our job losses; there have undoubtedly been hundreds of additional layoffs at the beverage companies, supermarkets and convenience stores throughout the city, just as we predicted.
Teamsters Local 830 and our beverage industry partners hope to prevail in court and kill this economically destructive tax.
Let your anger be known – go to www.axthebevtax.com to learn how.
Daniel H. Grace
Secretary/Treasurer
Teamsters Local 830