THE PROPOSED SODA TAX HIKE IN SANTA FE IS DEFEATED IN TUESDAY’S SPECIAL ELECTION. RESULTS CAME IN LATE TUESDAY NIGHT, SHOWING 58 PERCENT OPPOSED THE HIGHER TAX WHILE 42 PERCENT APPROVED IT. OPINIONS WERE STRONG ON BOTH SIDE OF THE ISSUE BROUGHT TO VOTERS BY SANTA FE MAYOR JAVIER GONZALES IN AN EFFORT TO FUND PRE-K EDUCATION.
GONZALES SAYS THE ONE THING THAT CAME OUT OF THE ELECTION TUESDAY WAS THAT THERE IS SUPPORT FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN SANTA FE … BUT NOT USING REVENUE FROM A TAX ON SUGARY DRINKS. THE LOSS WAS A SETBACK FOR THE SODA TAX MOVEMENT NATIONWIDE, WHOSE PROPONENTS CLOSELY WATCHED SANTA FE’S INITIATIVE HOPING IT WOULD KEEP THE MOMENTUM STARTED IN OTHER CITIES GOING.
A RECORD NUMBER OF VOTERS … 37-POINT-6 PERCENT … TURNED OUT AT THE POLLS.
