Department of Health
By Mariel S. Clark
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — Manhattanites could pay 12 cents more per can of cola after Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged state legislators to pas a new tax on sugary drinks.
Bloomberg said the state legislature should pass a penny-per-ounce tax on soft drinks in his weekly radio address on Sunday.
The tax would combat obesity while raising money for education and health care, the mayor said during the address.
"An extra 12 cents on a can of soda would raise nearly $1 billion, allowing us to keep community health services open and teachers in the classroom," Bloomberg said.
"And, at the same time, it would help us fight a major problem plaguing our children: Obesity."
