Finance Officials: Beverage Tax Has Not Harmed Workers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia finance officials are offering evidence that the sweetened beverage tax has not harmed workers, contrary to claims by the beverage industry.
Finance director Rob Dubow says a break-out of wage tax collections for fifteen sectors impacted by the beverage tax not only shows growth, it shows stronger growth than the overall wage tax.
"So we think that kind of dispels the notion there's been damage to those sectors, in terms of employment," said Dubow.
Dubow says wage tax collections increased five-and-a-half percent in the first half of the year and closer to six percent in 11 of the sectors studied.
"Supermarkets, convenience stores, full service restaurants, take-out restaurants, bars, taverns, department stores, super stores, vending machine companies and wholesale groceries," said Dubow.
But industry spokesman Anthony Campisi says the numbers are artificially inflated because Acme, this year, re-opened a number of A&P stores that had been closed.
"We think the administration is comparing apples and oranges," said Campisi.
Campisi maintains jobs were lost in stores that have been open for more than a year.