Philadelphia’s highest court rejected a challenge from the beverage industry, and upheld Philly’s tax on soda. Chief Justice Saylor explained that the tax falls on the distributor, however, others are opposed and say the tax duplicates taxes already in place.

NBC10:

“A rose by any other name smells just as sweet, and, whether styled a retail tax or a distribution tax, the levy here at bar, like the state sales tax, raises revenue specifically by burdening the proceeds from the retail sale of sugar-sweetened beverages,” wrote Justice David Wecht, who dissented. “This the Sterling Act does not allow.”

If fully passed on to consumers, Philadelphia’s soda tax represents an increase of $1.44 on a six-pack of 16-ounce bottles.

source – NBC10