February 09, 2017
Brian Hickey/PhillyVoice
Some protesters took their message within eyeshot of passing vehicles on the north side of City Hall.
The Philadelphia Republican Party is planning a "day of action" for Saturday, Feb. 11, to protest against the recently implemented tax on sugary drinks in the city.
The Facebook event for the demonstration doesn't give a specific location, but it does provide a link to a survey for interested participants so they can get connected with their local party captain. The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"We've seen the anti-jobs agenda of the local Democrats, who only know how to take more taxpayer money and impose more regulations," the description for the event reads. "They don't care about us."
As of Thursday morning, only eight people had RSVP'd for the event, with 21 expressing interest.
Albert Eisenberg, spokesperson for the Philadelphia Republican Party, said they weren't publicizing many details before the event because they don't want "to provoke any rabid protestors who have nothing better to do with their time than scream, stomp their feet, and intimidate people!"
The so-called soda tax took effect in January after being passed by City Council and signed into law last summer. It puts a 1.5-cents-per-ounce tariff on sodas and drinks with added sugar.
Mayor Jim Kenney pushed for the tax to fund a number of programs, including universal pre-K and renovations for city parks and civic spaces.
As a result of the tax, some businesses have adjusted by taking soda and sugary beverages completely off the menu, like Fink's Hoagies in Northeast Philly, or by no longer offering fountain drinks, like Primo Hoagies on South Street.
In a January interview with PhillyVoice, Kenney said he understood some were upset about the tax after having sticker shock to increased prices but noted, "Our kids come first," adding that he'd be open to other potential forms of revenue for the city to fund the programs.
"The soda companies, the bottlers and the beverage people are multibillion-dollar companies," Kenney said. "They don’t have a need to pass this tax on."
In a statement, Kenney spokesperson Lauren Hitt said, "the City will respect and protect everyone's right to protest, even if we disagree with what they're saying. It's one of our country's most sacred freedoms."
Protests have erupted in the city over the course of the past three weeks, with demonstrators voicing opposition to recently elected President Donald Trump and his policies.
Hitt defended the soda tax, saying it was enacted to make up for Republican cuts in education on state and federal levels.
"The soda tax was enacted to provide a path out of poverty for Philadelphia’s families by taxing an industry that has made millions off of our low-income communities and investing in pre-K, community schools and struggling neighborhoods," Hitt said.
