Beverage tax hurts working families

Small businesses and working families in Washington can’t afford the ridiculous 1.75 cents per-ounce tax on everyday beverages being proposed in the state Senate.

I know because as the operator of two grocery stores where we provide food and beverages at an affordable cost, this new tax would force us to raise prices on customers who have had a rough time of it during the pandemic. Some have been out of work and can’t afford higher grocery bills. For us grocers, higher prices mean less sales. Local stores like mine will have a difficult time making up for the lost revenue due to increased prices. That’s going to affect our employees and their work hours.

We’re just beginning our economic recovery from COVID-19, with a long road ahead. Adding more taxes on small businesses and working families is going to make it harder to get back to where we were. Our political leaders should vote down this bill and instead find ways to help Washingtonians recover that won’t hurt the families and businesses who have struggled to make ends meet this past year.

Lewis Bumstead

Operations Swanson’s Foods