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</div><div>soda tax berkeley</div><div>
</div><div>Judge Rules Berkeley Must Change Soda Tax Language
By State of Health September 2, 2014...Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo said the city’s statement that the tax would only beimposed on “high-calorie, sugary drinks” is “a form of advocacy and therefore not impartial.”<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Grillo ordered the city to change the summary to say that the tax would apply to “sugar-sweetened beverages,” which he said is more neutral and less likely to create prejudice for or against Measure D.<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem;">Anthony Johnson and Leon Cain <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/08/15/lawsuit-filed-over-berkeley-soda-tax-ballot-language/" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">filed the lawsuit in August</a>. Cain has previously attended Berkeley council meetings on behalf of the No Berkeley Beverage Tax campaign.<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tax opponents had also argued that ballot language that says the tax would be paid by distributors, not by consumers, is misleading because they believe distributors would pass on the extra cost to consumers.<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But Grillo ruled against tax opponents on that issue, saying they failed to provide clear and convincing evidence based on the ballot statement that the tax won’t be paid by consumers is misleading or partial.<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The judge said tax opponents “only speculate that it is like that such cost will be passed down to consumers, but it is unknown at this point whether or not any of the tax will eventually be passed down to consumers.”<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Grillo said the city correctly pointed out that distributors and retailers could choose to absorb the cost of the tax in order to better compete with other businesses.<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Berkeley school board member Joshua Daniels, who is co-chair of the campaign in favor of Measure D, said Grillo’s order that the ballot language be changed is only a “relatively minor” development and “doesn’t concern us at all” because “everyone knows that the measure is focused on preventing diabetes,” and he thinks it will still be approved.<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Daniels said that overall Grillo’s ruling is “a victory” for Measure D supporters.<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Grillo’s ruling came one day before the deadline on Wednesday for the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Office to send ballot arguments to the printer so that voters can receive them well in advance of the election on Nov. 4...<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ref:<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/08/15/lawsuit-filed-over-berkeley-soda-tax-ballot-language/<p times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" line-height="line-height" text-rendering="text-rendering" optimizelegibility="optimizeLegibility" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" font-stretch="font-stretch" normal="normal" letter-spacing="letter-spacing" rem="rem" width="width" px="px" color="color" rgb="rgb" background-color="background-color" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 98.3281px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px 0.625rem; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">...The lawsuit does reference the health issue. It describes the fight to combat childhood obesity as one of the main concerns of the people who are promoting the new tax. But petitioners argue that it isn’t crafted in a way that will significantly improve or protect public health.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As a general tax, the money would go into the city’s general fund. But, according to those championing the tax, it will “pay for <a href="http://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.com/about" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">programs and services for the people of Berkeley</a>. The soda tax measure creates a panel of child nutrition and public health experts to make recommendations to the city about funding programs that improve children’s health. Our coalition is committed to advocating that the new revenue to go towards supporting programs that give kids and families tools to make healthy choices about what they eat and drink.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Lawsuit proponents also take issue with the city’s contention that the tax will be paid by distributors, “not the customer.” They say “the ultimate costs” will be passed on to consumers should the measure prevail.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">They have asked the judge to remove the phrase “not the customer” from the city attorney’s analysis, saying that its inclusion is “plainly designed to encourage voters to support the tax measure, by persuading them that ‘others’ … will bear the costs of this tax. In other words, it is the implicit promise of a ‘free lunch.'”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The lawsuit asks for changes in the election materials, as well as financial payments to cover the costs of the case and “such other equitable relief as this Court deems just and proper.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The lawsuit identifies its petitioners, Johnson and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/leonmcain" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Cain</a>, as residents, registered voters and taxpayers of Berkeley. <a href="http://www.rodriguezstrategies.com/team" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Cain, a political consultant, is listed as an associate</a> at Rodriguez Strategies, a <a href="http://www.rodriguezstrategies.com/services" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">campaign consulting firm</a> based in Los Angeles. (That company’s CEO, Matt Rodriguez, recently faced off, as a representative of No Berkeley Beverage Tax, against Berkeley City Councilman Laurie Capitelli at an <a title="Berkeley councilman faces PR man in ‘soda tax’ debate" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/07/30/berkeley-councilman-faces-pr-man-in-soda-tax-debate/" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">election event about the sugar-sweetened beverage tax</a>.)  http://www.rodriguezstrategies.com/team<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to <a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Cain’s Twitter feed</a>, he moved to the Bay Area from Southern California in <a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/status/356261868467261441" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">July 2013</a> and has been working on the “<a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/status/356261868467261441" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">beverage choice</a>” cause in Northern California <a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/status/357627962062942209" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">since that time</a>.<div class="page" title="Page 1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="section" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="layoutArea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="column" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">No Berkeley Beverage Tax describes itself as “<a href="http://noberkeleybeveragetax.com/about-us/" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">a coalition of citizens, local businesses and community organizations</a> opposed to beverage taxes,” but has not made a list of its supporters publicly available.</div></div></div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Berkeley School Board President Daniels said that, unlike the Healthy Child Initiative — which counts<a href="http://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.com/supporters" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">dozens of Berkeley-based organizations and individuals</a> among its supporters — the No Berkeley Beverage Tax campaign appears to have taken a different approach.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“The opposition is almost exclusively paid for by the big bucks of ‘Big Soda,'” he said Thursday. “<a href="http://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.com/supporters" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Who our supporters</a> are is a genuine reflection of what Berkeley is.”....---<span class="wz-bold" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">RODRIGUEZ STRATEGIES12121 Wilshire BoulevardSuite 1260Los Angeles, CA 90025p  :  (424) 208-3202e  :  info@rodriguezstrategies.com=off bs bio looks whiteveteran Democratic strategist with more than 20 years of experience working for candidates and causes across the nation, Matt focuses on designing and leading grassroots and grasstops campaigns for diverse entities ranging from emerging nonprofits to Fortune 500 corporations.Matt employs his knowledge of the public and private sectors to implement winning strategies for clients at local and statewide levels. He runs the American Beverage Association’s coalition-building efforts in California and leads the advocacy campaign to educate local elected officials about the beverage industry. Matt has also worked with clients including The Pew Charitable Trusts, AT&T, California Community Foundation, The California Governor’s Association, Center for Western Priorities, and former California First Lady Maria Shriver.Matt’s campaign management experience ranges from local and state legislative races to U.S. presidential campaigns.In 2008, Matt served as the Western States Regional Director for Obama for America, where he managed campaign operatives and executed strategy throughout the Western United States. Prior to the general election, he served as the New Hampshire State Director for the Obama campaign during the 2008 presidential primary.Matt’s experience in politics dates back to 1997 when he was a press aide to House Democratic Leader Richard A. Gephardt. He later served as Congressman Gephardt's Political Action Committee Director in 2002 and the Deputy Political Director on his 2004 presidential campaign. Matt also worked for Senator Bill Bradley's presidential campaign in 2000, managed Senator Chris Dodd's reelection effort in 2004, and successfully guided California State Senator Kevin de Leon's first campaign for the State Assembly in 2006.In addition to his work at Rodriguez Strategies, Matt is a fellow at the University of Southern California’s Jesse Unruh Institute of Politics and serves on the board of directors of the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. Matt is also a frequent political contributor on AirTalk on 89.3 KPCC, Southern California Public Radio.Prior to his work in the political arena, Matt was a teacher at a small Jesuit school in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Matt sits on the board of the <a target="blank" href="http://nehd.org/" style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; padding-bottom: 0.05em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out, color 0.15s ease-out; word-wrap: break-word;">New England Homes for the Deaf</a>, based in Massachusetts, and <a target="_blank" href="http://turnaroundartsca.org/" style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; padding-bottom: 0.05em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); transition: border-color 0.15s ease-out, color 0.15s ease-out; word-wrap: break-word;">Turnaround Arts: California</a>. He lives with his wife Renee in Santa Monica, California.
=blackiish johnson, Dylan oversees day-to-day operations and provides logistical support to the firm's statewide field team.In addition to being the firm's organizational backbone, Dylan is a successful grassroots organizer. Notably, Dylan worked on a campaign for a leading technology coalition building public support for investment and innovation in the dynamic wireless sector. Dylan has led organizing efforts on several local ballot measures across the country as well as State Level campaigns here in California. These efforts have provided him a firm grasp of conducting successful campaigns from the very local to more broad state and federal efforts.Prior to his work at Rodriguez Strategies, Dylan focused his efforts on local consulting projects for a well-known lobbying firm. He was also a fierce advocate the LGBT community through his outreach work at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Dylan graduated with a BA in Government and International Politics from George Mason University, where he was an active and nationally recognized member of the Speech and Debate Team. Dylan resides Venice CA. borek s vpessica has been with the company since it was established. She leads the firm’s public affairs and government relations organizing efforts in California. She manages both short and long term campaigns for clients.Jessica has extensive knowledge of state and local politics. Her ability to navigate the intricacies of state and local government enables her to communicate complex policies and activate stakeholders.She is the lead organizer for the American Beverage Association and represents the California Grocers Association in Southern California. She has also spearheaded successful efforts to influence legislation through strategic coalition building, community outreach and advocacy.Jessica’s accomplishments include managing the voter contact program of a successful statewide ballot measure for a Fortune 500 company. She has also led multiple efforts to keep measures off of ballots in local municipalities. She successfully designed a multi-year issue-based campaign in Los Angeles involving a coalition of over 1,000 local businesses, dozens of Business Improvement Districts, neighborhood associations and business groups.Jessica is an active member of local and statewide organizations. She is an Executive Committee member of the Central City Association (CCA), serves on the Board of Directors of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), and is the Second Vice President of the League of California Cities League Partner Program.Jessica graduated Magna Cum Laude from The George Washington University with dual degrees in Political Science and Sociology. She currently resides in Manhattan Beach.=<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonmcain">https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonmcain</a>Leon CainJ.D. Candidate at Stanford Law SchoolGreater Los Angeles AreaLaw PracticePrevious O'Melveny & Myers LLP, Owen Patterson & Owen, Rodriguez StrategiesEducation Stanford University Law School500+connectionsView Leon’s full profile. It's free!Your colleagues, classmates, and 400 million other professionals are on LinkedIn.View Leon’s Full ProfileEducationStanford University Law SchoolStanford University Law SchoolJuris Doctor (J.D.)2016 – 2019University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern CaliforniaBachelor of Arts, Major in International Relations, Minors in German and Business Law2009 – 2013ExperienceO'Melveny & Myers LLPSEO InternO'Melveny & Myers LLPMay 2016 – July 2016 (3 months)Owen Patterson & OwenLaw ClerkOwen Patterson & OwenJanuary 2016 – May 2016 (5 months)Greater Los Angeles AreaRodriguez StrategiesAssociateRodriguez StrategiesJanuary 2013 – September 2015 (2 years 9 months)NationBuilderData/Marketing InternNationBuilderAugust 2012 – December 2012 (5 months)Greater Los Angeles AreaTurboVotePartnerships AssociateTurboVoteMay 2012 – August 2012 (4 months)Project Vote SmartResearch InternProject Vote SmartAugust 2011 – December 2011 (5 months)Honors & AwardsUSC Trustee ScholarshipUniversity of Southern CaliforniaFull-Tuition Merit Scholarship
0ct 2014http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/10/09/beverage-companies-spend-1-675-million-to-defeat-berkeley-soda-tax/

Any traveler who walked into the Ashby BART station Wednesday night would have been barraged by “No on Measure D” ads. They were plastered on the walls across from the trains, pinned to spaces near the ticket machine, and laid out on the floor of the station.
It’s known as saturation advertising and the No on Measure D campaign is using it across Berkeley to get its message across. There are ads in bus shelters. There are ads on Berkeleyside. There are ads in the Daily Californian and on SF Gate. There are campaign signs pinned to posts and stuck in medians around town.
Get used to it. Newly filed campaign disclosure reports show that the No on Measure D campaign has spent $1.675 million so far trying to defeat a 1-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages, which is about $275,000 more than was previously disclosed.
The American Beverage Association California PAC, which is funding the campaign, donated $1.4 million but has actually spent more. The campaign is also carrying $947,433 in accrued expenses. The bulk of the money is going to campaign literature, advertising, a website and campaign, and public relations consultants.
That comes to $21.43 for each of Berkeley’s 78,144 registered voters. In comparison, the beverage industry is spending $15.50 per registered voter in San Francisco, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. (The stakes for soda manufacturers are higher in Berkeley, where the measure only needs a 50% majority to pass; in San Francisco, a two-thirds majority vote is needed.)
The amount of money spent dwarfs previous Berkeley political campaigns, and distorts the electoral process, according to Daniel Newman, the president and co-founder of MapLight, a nonpartisan research organization in Berkeley that reveals money’s influence on politics.
“When one side has more than 10 times as many resources as another, it starts to make a mockery of what our democracy is supposed to be like,” said Newman. “If one side has 10 times more money to send mailers, and pay people to have conversations with voters, it creates distorted conditions for voters to effectively decide on what laws they want.”
Roger Salazar, a spokesman for the campaign, would not directly answer whether the amount of money the beverage industry is spending in Berkeley would turn off voters. He pointed out that the Yes on D campaign is also using seasoned campaign consultants, and that all the city officials running for re-election are using their bully pulpit to push the tax — a legal tactic, but one, as he put it in a previous interview, that gives “moral authority” to the campaign. The beverage industry must overcome that, he said. In addition, the Berkeley City Council spent $60,000 to conduct a poll about the proposed 1-cent-tax-per-ounce measure, he said.
“They’ve got government sponsorship,” said Salazar. “We are going to be informing voters about the flaws and impacts of this misguided venture.”
Council did spend $60,000 on two polls, but the questions that were posed covered a range of issues, not just the soda tax.

Dustan Batton of Rodriguez Strategies (left) and Josh Daniels (right) argue the merits of Measure D, a proposed tax on sugary beverages, at an election event on Oct. 6. Batton is a spokesman for the No on D campaign, and Daniels is co-chair of the Yes on D campaign. Photo: Mark Coplan
Only a small portion of the $1.675 million declared recently was spent in Berkeley, according to campaign finance documents reviewed by Berkeleyside.
Dustan Batton, who works for Rodriguez Strategies, the Los Angeles-based consulting firm that is running the Berkeley campaign, paid $622 to stay at the Durant Hotel, according to campaign filings. The campaign has paid Wong Property Management $11,040 for rent, and $1,020 to Parking Concepts for parking.
Two print shops were paid for printing campaign literature: Zee Zee Copy and Alliance Graphic got a combined $4,239. The campaign has paid Berkeleyside $9,393 for advertising. It has also taken out ads that cover two full pages in the Daily Californian.
Here are some of the major expenditures, according to campaign filings:
TV ads: $327,453, with $96,236 going to KGO and KPIXRadio spots: $17,848BART advertising: $46,750, according to Alicia Trost, BART’s communication managerCampaign literature: $603,470U.S. Postal Service: $62,287Its website: $63,832Polling: $44,000Travel: $17,164 on airline tickets and $5,863 on hotelsOffice supplies: $7,845It has paid a San Rafael law firm, Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni, around $59,000 to prepare campaign finance reports for both Measure D and San Francisco’s Measure E.It paid $530,578 to EWC Media Services to place local ads.No on D expendituresAdvertising: flyers and lawn signs
A flyer produced and distributed by the No on D campaign — a reprint of an op-ed piece published on Berkeleyside. The other side shows another op-ed piece also published on Berkeleyside. Click on image to enlarge it.In addition to blitzing the Bay Area with ads, the No on D campaign has sent out at least seven mass mailings, which is defined by Berkeley election law as those going to more than 200 households.
There may have been more. In recent days, the No on D campaign has been passing out a flyer that features excerpts from two anti-soda tax op-eds that were published on Berkeleyside in the Opinionator section. Berkeleyside’s logo is prominently featured at the top of the page. Many Berkeley residents have been confused by that campaign literature, and have asked Berkeleyside whether the news site has taken a position to oppose Measure D. Berkeleyside does not take editorial positions. The flyer is a production of the No on Measure D campaign.
Read more about Berkeleyside’s position on endorsements.
The proliferation of campaign signs has also been a problem. The city of Berkeley has sent the No on Measure D campaign two letters informing it that its signs are illegally placed in Berkeley. Berkeley’s sign ordinance does not allow campaign signs on wooden utility poles, public sidewalks, median strips, fire hydrants, curbs, or any traffic control fixture.
On Oct. 2 and then again on Oct. 6, Berkeley noted that there were No on Measure D signs on at least six different roundabouts or median strips.

BART workers mistakenly took out some of the ads that the No on Measure D campaign had paid $46,750 for. 
(Note: Just hours after the No on D advertising was plastered around the Ashby BART station, the film on the floor and other ads were mistakenly taken down by BART workers, said Trost. The workers thought they were unauthorized. They should be put back in the next few days.)
Campaign strategy
The campaign — and a similar one in San Francisco — is being run by Goddard Gunster, a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm, according to Salazar. The firm has had a role in defeating numerous soda tax initiatives across the country, including one proposed by New York state and a portion size cap in New York City. A previous incarnation of the firm made the “Harry and Louise” commercials that helped derail President Bill Clinton’s effort to overhaul health care.
The No on D campaign has sent Goddard Gunster at least $863,305, according to the campaign filings. But it is difficult to tell from the campaign expense reports exactly how much the PR firm has kept, for it has passed on significant amounts of that money to subcontractors. For example, Goddard Gunster has paid $530,578 to EWC Media Services, which places local ads.
The campaign is also using three different political consulting firms. Rodriguez Strategies of Los Angeles is running the ground campaign in Berkeley, said Salazar. The No on D campaign has paid it around $109,273, according to campaign reports. The campaign hired Salazar’s firm, Alza Associates, to talk to the press, and has paid the firm $12,090. Other firms include First Tuesday, a South Carolina firm that has been paid $75,000.
The campaign has used Amplified Strategies, a Seattle-based direct mail company that has worked with Goddard Gunster and the American Beverage Association on numerous other campaigns. Amplified Strategies worked on an anti-soda tax campaign in Washington state, as well as against California’s Prop. 37, which would have required labeling of genetically modified foods.
It appears as if two of the No on Measure D campaign’s public faces moved to the East Bay expressly to fight the proposed soda tax. Dustan Batton and Leon Cain work for Rodriguez Strategies of Los Angeles. Cain filed a lawsuit against the city of Berkeley in August objecting to some of the language council used in the ballot argument. An Alameda County Superior Court judge ruled that the wording did not comply with the law and ordered the city to change it. Cain recently moved to Berkeley from San Francisco and only registered to vote here Aug. 4, according to the East Bay Express. The lawsuit was filed Aug. 15, 2014.
Batton lived in the Los Angeles area until recently, according to his LinkedIn profile, and now resides in Walnut Creek. He worked as a public affairs consultant for the American Beverage Association from May 2012 to March 2013. He was the lead organizer for a soda tax campaign in El Monte, Calif., which was defeated 76% to 24%, according to Batton’s profile. As of Thursday afternoon, his Twitter profile still identified Los Angeles as his location.
Batton started to work for Rodriguez Strategies, which is running the No on D campaign, in February 2013, according to LinkedIn. He recently appeared as the campaign spokesman at a forum hosted by the Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association on Oct. 6. Batton identified himself as a lobbyist at that meeting, according to people who attended.
The soda industry has experience defeating proposed soda taxes
The willingness of the beverage industry to move people to Berkeley and to pour close to $2 million into the campaign to defeat the proposed soda tax should come as no surprise. The beverage industry has spent $117 million since 2009 to squash or roll back soda taxes, according to the New York Times. The beverage industry has defeated more than 30 initiatives around the United States in those years.
Nationwide, the fight has been funded by political action committees of the American Beverage Association, a trade organization made up of the world’s largest beverage companies and businesses that sell their products. They include the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Dr. Pepper-Royal Crown Bottling Co., Canada Dry Bottling Co. of New York, the Can Manufacturers Institute, 7-Eleven Convenience Stores, and Yum! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell).
The brands include Honest Tea, Snapple, Tropicana, Minute Maid, Aquafina, Mountain Dew, Starbucks coffee drinks, Fuze Tea, Odwalla, Glacéau Vitaminwater, Hawaiian Punch, 7-Up, Coca–Cola and many more.
The American Beverage Association has also gotten prominent non-profits to remove their support of soda taxes in exchange for large donations, according to news reports. In 2010, the soda industry offered to pay Philadelphia $10 million if its city council backed away from a plan to tax sugary beverages. Council agreed, and the soft drink industry donated $10 million to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Salazar said the beverage industry wants to help people reduce their sugar consumption, just not through local legislation. The soda industry has reduced the calories in many of its drinks by 10% in the last 10 years, and just recently pledged to reduce it an additional 20%, he said.
“From our perspective, it’s bad public policy,” said Salazar, of local legislation. “There are ways you can promote healthy lifestyles. We don’t believe taxing people is the way to do it.”
Related:Campaign donations reach record levels in Berkeley (10.07.14)Beverage companies donate $800,000 to fight soda tax (09.22.14)Judge changes Berkeley soda tax ballot measure (09.04.14)Berkeley councilman faces PR man in ‘soda tax’ debate (07.30.14)Berkeley puts sugar tax on November ballot (07.02.14)Plans firm up for Berkeley soda tax, city parks measures (05.21.14)Community survey shows difficulties for ballot measures (05.06.14)Sugar tax hits the sweet spot for Berkeley residents (03.14.14)Will Berkeley be first in nation to impose soda tax? (02.12.14)

=<div class="entry-content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="pf-content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Two men have filed a lawsuit against the city of Berkeley and the <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/berkeley-city-council" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Berkeley City Council</a> asking for changes to adopted ballot language related to the so-called “<a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/berkeley-soda-tax/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">soda tax</a>” set to come before voters in November.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">The sugar-sweetened beverage tax would levy a <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/07/02/berkeley-puts-sugar-tax-on-november-ballot-could-be-first-in-country-to-take-on-big-soda/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">1 cent-per-fluid-ounce general tax</a> on distributors of “sugary drinks” and the bulk syrup used to sweeten them. If successful, Berkeley could be the first city in the nation to pass such a tax, though San Francisco has also taken up the fight.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Lawsuit proponents argue that the ballot language <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/berkeley-soda-tax/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">adopted by council in July</a>, as well as the city attorney’s analysis of the issue, are “<a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Petition-Writ-8-13-14.pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">false, misleading, and illegally biased</a>,” and have asked an Alameda County Superior Court judge to force the city to adjust them before they are sent to voters this fall.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Josh Daniels, <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/berkeley-school-board/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Berkeley School Board</a> president and co-chair of the <a href="http://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Healthy Child Initiative</a> — the community group lobbying in support of the new tax — described the lawsuit as a “bullying tactic.” He said it’s the latest move by the No Berkeley Beverage Tax team to try to sway voters, in addition to a push poll and focus group meetings that were held with local residents earlier this summer.<span id="more-168892" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;" /><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Petition-Writ-8-13-14.pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">The lawsuit</a> was filed Wednesday by Anthony Johnson and <a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Leon Cain</a>. Little is known about Johnson, but Cain has previously attended Berkeley council meetings on behalf of the <a href="http://noberkeleybeveragetax.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">No Berkeley Beverage Tax</a> campaign, which is fighting the tax and receives major funding from the <a href="http://www.ameribev.org/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">American Beverage Association</a>.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">“They continue to try to use their money to push around voters,” said Daniels, of “Big Soda.” “They’ll do anything to try to win. And they don’t really want to try to discuss their product as a contributor to diabetes, or their marketing to kids. They want to try to distract us by changing topics.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline; text-align: center;">Read past Berkeleyside coverage of the <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/berkeley-soda-tax/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">soda tax</a>, and more <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/election-2014-berkeley/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">2014 Election</a> coverage.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Roger Salazar, spokesman for the No Berkeley Beverage Tax campaign said Thursday night that the lawsuit came about because Measure D, the city’s sugar-sweetened beverage tax ballot measure, is “clumsily written.”<div class="page" title="Page 1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="section" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="layoutArea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="column" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">“The City is trying to cover up a number of exemptions and loopholes with a false and misleading ballot label and analysis,” Salazar said, via email. “Measure D isn’t about children, it’s about raising revenue into the general fund. If proponents were serious, they would have dedicated the funds directly to programs that help people.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">(<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/07/23/san-francisco-soda-tax/13032045/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">San Francisco</a>, on the other hand, is going for a special tax in its <a href="http://www.choosehealthsf.com/about" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">fight against “Big Soda,”</a> which requires a two-thirds supermajority, and would be “<a href="http://www.choosehealthsf.com/how_much_will_the_tax_generate_and_what_will_it_fund%C2%A0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">legally earmarked for nutrition</a>, physical activity, and health programs,” according to that campaign’s website.)</div></div></div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday at 9 a.m., a Superior Court judge is set to hear the matter in Department 31, at 201 13th St. in Oakland — on the second floor of the U.S. Post Office Building — and may consider whether to speed up the schedule to receive arguments from both parties.<div id="attachment_168900" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; width: 653px;"><img class="size-full wp-image-168900" src="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.22.20-PM.png" alt="The " soda="soda" tax="tax" ballot="ballot" language="language" as="as" adopted="adopted" by="by" council="council" in="in" july="July" width="653" height="234" srcset="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.22.20-PM.png 653w, http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.22.20-PM-200x71.png 200w, http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.22.20-PM-360x129.png 360w" sizes="(max-width: 653px) 100vw, 653px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: bottom; max-width: 640px; height: auto;" /><p class="wp-caption-text" style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 640px;">The “soda tax” ballot language as adopted unanimously by council in July.</div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">The lawsuit contends that the Berkeley City Council, when it unanimously adopted the ballot question language in July, substituted “high-calorie, sugary drinks” for the “more neutral” language suggested by city staff (“sugar-sweetened beverage”). That resulted in a ballot question that is “misleading” and politically charged, proponents say.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">State law requires ballot materials to be impartial. The petitioners say it would be more fair if the city used the phrase “sugar-sweetened beverage products” in the ballot materials instead.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">According to the ordinance, the tax would apply to drinks with at least 2 calories per fluid ounce, such as a 12-ounce canned drink with 24 calories. The lawsuit says, as such, it would affect beverages “no reasonable person would regard as ‘high-calorie.'”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">The lawsuit takes issue with the “high-calorie, sugary” language in the ballot question, and insists the tax’s reach would be “far broader” than voters might think. (It also cites <a href="http://www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/labelingnutrition/ucm274593.htm#see2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">USDA material</a> that defines “high-calorie” foods as those with 400 calories or more, and low-calorie foods as those with 40 calories or less.)<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">“Rather than draft a fair, impartial and accurate label, as the law requires it to do, the CITY COUNCIL has illegally injected politically-charged language tracking its partisan political views in favor of the tax measure into the voting booth,” the lawsuit asserts.<div id="attachment_168901" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; width: 599px;"><a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Petition-Writ-8-13-14.pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;"><img class="size-full wp-image-168901" src="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.37.18-PM.png" alt="Click to read the ordinance and the lawsuit. " width="599" height="260" srcset="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.37.18-PM.png 599w, http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.37.18-PM-200x86.png 200w, http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-14-at-7.37.18-PM-360x156.png 360w" sizes="(max-width: 599px) 100vw, 599px" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: bottom; max-width: 640px; height: auto;" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text" style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 640px;">The tax would apply to types of drinks listed in section 1, above, that contain “at least 2 calories per fluid ounce.” Click to read the ordinance and the lawsuit.</div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Daniels, of the Healthy Child Campaign, said he believes the lawsuit proponents are “grasping at straws,” and that, in his opinion, the ballot language is fair and accurate.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">“The measure does focus on high-calorie, low-nutrition sugary drinks and the syrups that make them,” said Daniels. “There really isn’t a need to make any changes to it.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">According to the lawsuit, the city attorney’s analysis — which would appear in the voter guide — includes the same problematic language as in the ballot question, and should also be changed.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition, the city attorney’s analysis includes references to “low-nutrition products” and “heavily” sweetened teas, which lawsuit proponents say is an issue.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">The tax would affect juice drinks “that contain in some cases up to 100 percent of the recommended daily value of nutrients,” as well as “reduced calorie sports drinks which provide hydration, electrolyte replacement and other benefits to athletes,” according to the lawsuit. The petitioners say those types of drinks cannot fairly be characterized as “low-nutrition products,” and says the phrase “heavily” is not defined anywhere, and is too vague to be included.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Daniels countered that the opposition to the tax is doing everything in its power to avoid talking about the negative health impacts of sugar, or the way soda companies target marketing toward children.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">“At the end of the day, they’re doing something that is making our kids sick,” he said. “The truth is that their products are linked to diabetes, and that one in three kids will get diabetes in their lifetime.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">The lawsuit does reference the health issue. It describes the fight to combat childhood obesity as one of the main concerns of the people who are promoting the new tax. But petitioners argue that it isn’t crafted in a way that will significantly improve or protect public health.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">As a general tax, the money would go into the city’s general fund. But, according to those championing the tax, it will “pay for <a href="http://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.com/about" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">programs and services for the people of Berkeley</a>. The soda tax measure creates a panel of child nutrition and public health experts to make recommendations to the city about funding programs that improve children’s health. Our coalition is committed to advocating that the new revenue to go towards supporting programs that give kids and families tools to make healthy choices about what they eat and drink.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Lawsuit proponents also take issue with the city’s contention that the tax will be paid by distributors, “not the customer.” They say “the ultimate costs” will be passed on to consumers should the measure prevail.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">They have asked the judge to remove the phrase “not the customer” from the city attorney’s analysis, saying that its inclusion is “plainly designed to encourage voters to support the tax measure, by persuading them that ‘others’ … will bear the costs of this tax. In other words, it is the implicit promise of a ‘free lunch.'”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">The lawsuit asks for changes in the election materials, as well as financial payments to cover the costs of the case and “such other equitable relief as this Court deems just and proper.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">The lawsuit identifies its petitioners, Johnson and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/leonmcain" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Cain</a>, as residents, registered voters and taxpayers of Berkeley. <a href="http://www.rodriguezstrategies.com/team" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Cain, a political consultant, is listed as an associate</a> at Rodriguez Strategies, a <a href="http://www.rodriguezstrategies.com/services" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">campaign consulting firm</a> based in Los Angeles. (That company’s CEO, Matt Rodriguez, recently faced off, as a representative of No Berkeley Beverage Tax, against Berkeley City Councilman Laurie Capitelli at an<a title="Berkeley councilman faces PR man in ‘soda tax’ debate" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/07/30/berkeley-councilman-faces-pr-man-in-soda-tax-debate/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">election event about the sugar-sweetened beverage tax</a>.)<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">According to <a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Cain’s Twitter feed</a>, he moved to the Bay Area from Southern California in <a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/status/356261868467261441" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">July 2013</a> and has been working on the “<a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/status/356261868467261441" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">beverage choice</a>” cause in Northern California <a href="https://twitter.com/leonmcain/status/357627962062942209" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">since that time</a>.<div class="page" title="Page 1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="section" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="layoutArea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="column" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">No Berkeley Beverage Tax describes itself as “<a href="http://noberkeleybeveragetax.com/about-us/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">a coalition of citizens, local businesses and community organizations</a> opposed to beverage taxes,” but has not made a list of its supporters publicly available.</div></div></div></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Berkeley School Board President Daniels said that, unlike the Healthy Child Initiative — which counts<a href="http://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.com/supporters" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">dozens of Berkeley-based organizations and individuals</a> among its supporters — the No Berkeley Beverage Tax campaign appears to have taken a different approach.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">“The opposition is almost exclusively paid for by the big bucks of ‘Big Soda,'” he said Thursday. “<a href="http://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.com/supporters" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Who our supporters</a> are is a genuine reflection of what Berkeley is.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Read past Berkeleyside coverage of the <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/berkeley-soda-tax/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">soda tax</a>, and more <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/election-2014-berkeley/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">2014 Election</a> coverage.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Related:
<a title="Permalink to Berkeley councilman faces PR man in ‘soda tax’ debate" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/07/30/berkeley-councilman-faces-pr-man-in-soda-tax-debate/" rel="bookmark" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Berkeley councilman faces PR man in ‘soda tax’ debate</a> (07.30.14)
<a title="Permalink to Berkeley puts sugar tax on November ballot; could be first city in country to take on Big Soda" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/07/02/berkeley-puts-sugar-tax-on-november-ballot-could-be-first-in-country-to-take-on-big-soda/" rel="bookmark" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Berkeley puts sugar tax on November ballot</a> (07.02.14)
<a title="Permalink to Plans firm up for Berkeley soda tax, city parks measures" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/05/21/plans-firm-up-for-berkeley-soda-tax-city-parks-measures/" rel="bookmark" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Plans firm up for Berkeley soda tax, city parks measures</a> (05.21.14)
<a title="Permalink to Community survey shows difficulties for ballot measures" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/05/06/community-survey-shows-difficulties-for-ballot-measures/" rel="bookmark" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Community survey shows difficulties for ballot measures</a> (05.06.14)
<a title="Permalink to Sugar tax hits the sweet spot for Berkeley residents" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/03/14/berkeley-likes-taxing-soda-but-support-for-parks-pools-lags/" rel="bookmark" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Sugar tax hits the sweet spot for Berkeley residents</a> (03.14.14)
<a title="Permalink to Will Berkeley be first in nation to impose soda tax?" href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/02/12/will-berkeley-be-first-in-nation-to-impose-sugar-tax/" rel="bookmark" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Will Berkeley be first in nation to impose soda tax?</a> (02.12.14)<p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.4; vertical-align: baseline;">Follow Berkeleyside <a href="https://twitter.com/berkeleyside" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">on Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/berkeleyside" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a>. Email us at tips@berkeleyside.com. Get the latest Berkeley news in your inbox with <a href="http://berkeleyside.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4851428a10883a05193b1dd6c&id=aad4b5ee64" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;">Berkeleyside’s free Daily Briefing</a>.</div></div><div class="post-social-horizontal" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 8px 10px 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 20px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; height: 30px; background: rgb(235, 235, 230);"><span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">d <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/american-beverage-association/" rel="tag" style="font-style: inherit; 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font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Election 2014 Berkeley</a>, <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/healthy-child-initiative/" rel="tag" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Healthy Child Initiative</a>, <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/laurie-capitelli/" rel="tag" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Laurie Capitelli</a>, <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/tag/leon-cain/" rel="tag" style="font-style: inherit; 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