A Philadelphia judge has dismissed the beverage industry's lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia over the so-called soda tax in a 14-page decision issued Friday.
Judge Gary S. Glazer ruled to dismiss the complaint "in its entirety," ticking off the argument lawyers for the city had previously told the Business Journal was the crux of its case.
Referred to as the Philadelphia Beverage Tax, or PBT, Glazer said the city's sugary beverage tax does not duplicate the Pennsylvania's sales and use tax, violate the state Constitution's Uniformity Clause, nor force SNAP beneficiaries to spend the program's funds on the sales tax.
"The Judge upheld the key points of our argument: the Philadelphia Beverage Tax cannot be considered a sales tax, and neither does it violate the uniformity clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution," City Solicitor Sozi Pedro Tulante said in a statement.
Read more about the suit on PBJ.com
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