Ownership note: HealthyBoulderKids.org is under new ownership. This page concerns the former Healthy Boulder Kids campaign. The current site was not involved with or affiliated with that campaign.
Boulder voters approved Ballot Measure 2H on November 8, 2016. The measure created a two-cent-per-ounce excise tax on the distribution of sugar-sweetened beverages in the city.
What Measure 2H Proposed
Contemporary reporting described the proposal as applying to drinks with at least five grams of added caloric sweetener per 12 fluid ounces. It exempted categories such as 100% juice, infant formula, milk products, and beverages for medical use. The campaign estimated annual revenue of about $3.8 million for health-promotion programs, especially programs serving residents with lower incomes. The April 2016 Westword report on the filing provides a surviving contemporary summary.
Campaign Arguments
Supporters presented the measure as both a public-health policy and a way to fund healthier food access and physical-activity programs. Opponents argued that the cost could reach consumers and criticized the measure as a tax that would affect grocery bills. The proposal itself placed the tax on beverage distributors, not on groceries generally.
The health debate focused heavily on added sugar and children. For current guidance rather than 2016 campaign claims, see our evidence-based overview of how much added sugar children should have per day.
Election Result
Boulder County’s official 2016 election results record 32,767 votes for Measure 2H and 28,021 against it—a 53.90% to 46.10% result.
What Happened After the Vote
The tax took effect on July 1, 2017. The City of Boulder’s current sugar-sweetened beverage tax page explains the present rules and the Health Equity Fund supported by the revenue.
For more campaign context, see the surviving endorsements record.