In “Beverage companies donate $800,000 to fight soda tax,” an article published on Berkeleyside on Sept. 22, 2014, Roger Salazar, a spokesman for the No Berkeley Beverage Tax said that amount of money was needed because the entire Berkeley City Council is supporting the soda tax, and “extraordinary measures are needed to fight their moral authority.”
Pamela Gray, who is a volunteer for the Yes on Measure D campaign, laughed when she read that line. In an op-ed published today on Berkeleyside, she asks: “Who truly cares about the future of Berkeley’s children? The Berkeley City Council or the American Beverage Association?
Gray continued: “When the City Council agreed unanimously to put the soda tax on the November ballot, they chose the right first step towards turning the tide of the sugary-drink-fueled health crisis facing our city and the nation.”
Read Gray’s op-ed in the Opinionator section and share your views in the Comments section there.
Berkeleyside welcomes submissions of op-ed articles. We ask that we are given first refusal to publish. Topics should be Berkeley-related, local authors are preferred, and we don’t publish anonymous pieces. Please email submissions to us. Berkeleyside will publish op-ed pieces at its discretion.
