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Agenda Item
5 24-0571 Subject: Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Distributor Tax Proposed Policy Change
From: Councilmember Gallo
Recommendation: Receive An Informational Report Regarding The Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Distributor Tax To Amend The Current SSBT To Include A Yearly Consumer Price Index Adjustment And To Be Legally Designated To The Specific Purposes of Addressing Diabetes Rates And Reducing SSB Consumption In The Census Tracts Most Impacted Through 50% To Oakland Parks And Recreation Youth Department, Human Services Department, Economic and Workforce Development Department, and Library Department And 50% To The Oakland Healthy Living, Healing, And Nutrition Special Fund, Which Will Be Governed By A Citizen Planning And Oversight Committee That Will Develop And Evaluate Three Year Strategic Investment Plans To Address Diabetes And SSB Consumption Through Allocations To Healthy Retail, Health Education, Income Supplements, Community Spaces, Meal Distribution, Water Access, Health Screenings, And An Independent Evaluation Tracking Impact Of Tax And Revenue Allocations
My name is Sheylin representing Oakland HOPS, Healthy Options at point of sale. One of the grantees of the SSB Community Grants program that may no longer exist. The SSB grant funded the operations of Oakland HOPS, a model ordinance that would set minimum nutrition standards for products sold at the checkout aisles, which would ultimately begin to decrease health disparities that persist among the city’s lower-income areas and communities of color. After passionately fighting for an ordinance for 5 years it's clear the health and wellbeing of marginalized communities fails to be a priority. Our team met with Tiffany King on behalf of CM Nikki Fortunato Bas in 2021, Haley Hester on behalf of CM Treva Reid in 2022, and CM Fife in March of 2022. In addition to CM Gallo and Kalb in 2021/2022. Who had agreed to work in collaboration to champion our ordinance but ghosted us last year. Its unfortunate this is how Oakland HOPS is brought to the city council. After meeting with CM Ramachandran in March this year, she did something we spent four years waiting for. She listened, empathized, and took action. Our ordinance Oakland HOPS was revised by the city's attorney however I fear that without the SSB grant Oakland HOPS runs the risk of no longer existing. The SSB Community Grants program promised voters it would use tax revenues to fund health programs to address the health disparities linked to sugary beverages, particularly diabetes. NOT for it to be used to balance the budget!
My name is Sheylin representing Oakland HOPS, Healthy Options at point of sale. One of the grantees of the SSB Community Grants program that may no longer exist. The SSB grant funded the operations of Oakland HOPS, a model ordinance that would set minimum nutrition standards for products sold at the checkout aisles, which would ultimately begin to decrease health disparities that persist among the city’s lower-income areas and communities of color. After passionately fighting for an ordinance for 5 years it's clear the health and wellbeing of marginalized communities fails to be a priority. Our team met with Tiffany King on behalf of CM Nikki Fortunato Bas in 2021, Haley Hester on behalf of CM Treva Reid in 2022, and CM Fife in March of 2022. In addition to CM Gallo and Kalb in 2021/2022. Who had agreed to work in collaboration to champion our ordinance but ghosted us last year. Its unfortunate this is how Oakland HOPS is brought to the city council. After meeting with CM Ramachandran in March this year, she did something we spent four years waiting for. She listened, empathized, and took action. Our ordinance Oakland HOPS was revised by the city's attorney however I fear that without the SSB grant Oakland HOPS runs the risk of no longer existing. The SSB Community Grants program promised voters it would use tax revenues to fund health programs to address the health disparities linked to sugary beverages, particularly diabetes. NOT for it to be used to balance the budget!