THE END IS NIGH: Cook County Finance Committee repeals soda tax.

“Today the board exercised its collective will and set in motion a repeal of the sweetened beverage tax we approved last year,” Preckwinkle said. “As I outlined last week, it is up to the commissioners to choose our direction on revenue, and I respect their authority to do so.”

The tax has been controversial since its start last year when it was narrowly passed by the board after Board President Toni Preckwinkle cast the deciding vote after commissioners deadlocked on the measure.

The tide turned on the tax Friday, when a bipartisan deal to rescind the tax was announced last week. The tax will stay in effect through the end of the county’s fiscal year on Nov. 30.

With 15 votes, those in support of a repeal have more than enough support to override a Preckwinkle veto. That’s a major setback to Preckwinkle, who has argued that the tax was needed to avoid major cuts to the public health and safety sectors.
Dueling ad campaigns have argued that the tax is either an onerous burden on consumers that is hurting small businesses — or a way to provide desperately needed funds and promote healthy choices and combat child obesity.

The Can the Tax Coalition, a staunch opponent of the tax that receives money from the American Beverage Association, “applauded” the passage of the repeal.

I’m dumbstruck that Cook County repealed a tax, no matter how small or self-defeating.