Soda Tax Won't Apply To Food Stamps In Chicago

The Chicago Tribune reports that Cook County's sweetened beverage tax will not apply to purchases made with food stamp benefits. This marks the second reversal since the Chicago tax was approved in November. The decision means that more than 872,000 people in Cook County will not have to pay the penny-per-ounce tax on sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages, which goes into effect on July 1. Under federal law, purchases made with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are exempt from state and local taxes.