A judge on Friday put Cook County's penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages on hold at least until July 12. It was set to go into effect Saturday.
The ruling by Circuit Judge Daniel Kubasiak to grant a temporary restraining order came days after the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and several grocers filed a lawsuit against the Cook County Department of Revenue seeking to block the tax, which they argue is unconstitutional and too vague.
In recent days, a common sight at stores was consumers loading their grocery carts with soda and other beverages, stockpiling items that would be subject to a tax. Retailers outside Cook County mentioned the tax in their advertising.
County officials have said the tax is needed to pay for services and will improve the public's health over time.
If it's a matter of public health, perhaps they can explain why people on food stamps can buy the stuff - exempt from the Cook County tax - with your money. One might think that food stamps should apply to basics like dairy, meats, fruits, vegetables only.
It appears that one would be wrong; food-stamp recipients were exempted from the soft-drink tax.
Yeah, it's all about public health.
Do dogs and cats drink a lot of softies? In today's America, even the pets are obese.