This page preserves a significant support letter for what would eventually become Ballot Measure 2H, the sugar-sweetened beverage tax approved by Boulder voters on November 8, 2016. The letter from Julissa Soto, a health advocate focused on Latino communities, highlighted the disproportionate impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on low-income and minority populations and the potential benefits of the proposed 2-cent per ounce tax.
The Letter’s Context
Julissa Soto’s support letter came at a critical time in the Healthy Boulder Kids campaign, as the coalition worked to build broad community support for the proposed sugar-sweetened beverage tax. The letter emphasized the health equity aspects of the initiative, noting that low-income communities and communities of color face higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other conditions linked to excessive sugar consumption.
The letter addressed several key points:
- The disproportionate marketing of sugar-sweetened beverages to minority communities
- Higher consumption rates of these beverages among low-income populations
- The financial and health burdens of diet-related diseases on vulnerable communities
- The potential benefits of the estimated $3.8 million in annual revenue for health programs targeting these communities
- The importance of culturally appropriate health education and resources
Health Equity Perspective
Soto’s letter provided a crucial health equity perspective to the campaign, highlighting how the proposed tax could address disparities in health outcomes. Research has consistently shown that low-income communities and communities of color face higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other conditions linked to diet.
The letter cited concerning statistics about sugar consumption and its health impacts. A single 20-ounce bottle of soda typically contains approximately 16 teaspoons of sugar, with campaign materials noting that popular sodas contain “22 packets of sugar” – amounts far exceeding recommended daily limits for added sugar consumption.
Soto emphasized that these health impacts are not distributed equally across the population, with vulnerable communities bearing a disproportionate burden. The letter argued that the proposed tax represented an opportunity to address these disparities by both reducing consumption and funding targeted health programs.
Community Perspective
As an advocate working directly with Latino communities, Soto brought an important community perspective to the campaign. The letter highlighted the real-world impacts of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on families and children, moving beyond statistics to emphasize the human dimension of the public health challenge.
The letter addressed concerns about the potential regressive nature of the tax by emphasizing how the revenue would be directed back to the communities most affected, through programs focused on healthy eating, physical activity, and nutrition education.
This community-centered approach aligned with best practices identified by organizations like ChangeLab Solutions, which recommends engaging diverse stakeholders and addressing equity concerns when implementing beverage taxes.
Impact on the Campaign
Soto’s support letter played an important role in the Healthy Boulder Kids campaign by helping to frame the sugar-sweetened beverage tax as a health equity measure rather than simply a revenue-generating mechanism. This framing was crucial for building broad community support and addressing potential opposition.
The letter was part of a broader coalition-building effort that brought together health professionals, community organizations, parents, educators, and advocates like Soto. This diverse coalition was essential to the campaign’s ultimate success at the ballot box.
Following the November 8, 2016 vote, Angelique Espinoza with Healthy Boulder Kids celebrated the victory by stating, “Boulder stood up for our kids. We understand the health threats posed by unhealthy sugary drinks, especially on low-income families.” This message echoed the health equity themes emphasized in Soto’s earlier support letter.
Implementation and Impact
When the tax went into effect on July 1, 2017, the revenue began supporting programs aligned with the vision outlined in Soto’s letter – promoting health equity through targeted interventions in the communities most affected by sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
The tax joined similar measures in Berkeley, Philadelphia, and the three California cities that passed soda taxes on the same election day in November 2016. Together, these initiatives represented a growing movement to address sugar consumption through fiscal policy while directing resources to health promotion.
International examples provided some evidence for the potential effectiveness of such taxes in promoting health equity. Mexico passed a nationwide soda tax in 2013 and saw soda sales fall by about 6 percent in 2014, with a more significant 9 percent reduction among low-income households – suggesting that such measures can indeed have a progressive health impact despite concerns about regressive taxation.
Historical Significance
This support letter represents an important historical artifact in Boulder’s public health policy development. It demonstrates how health equity considerations were integrated into the campaign for the sugar-sweetened beverage tax and highlights the role of diverse voices in successful public health advocacy.
For more information about the broader initiative, please visit our About the Initiative page. To learn about the specific details of the ballot measure, see our Ballot Measure 2H page.