Michael Bloomberg Backs Cook County Soda Tax With Ads

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is spending $1 million in Illinois to support the proposed Cook County penny-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is paying for television and online advertisements in the Chicago market.

Illinois’ Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle proposed a penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages as part of a move to close a 2017 budget shortfall.