120907 Statement on Ruling on Richmond Mailer Ordinance

								
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
September 7, 2012 
                                                                                      
                                                                            Contact: 
                                                                        Chuck Finnie 
                                                              (415) 615‐0311, ext. 15 
                                                             (415) 342‐2450 (mobile) 
                                         
 
     Statement on Court Ruling Blocking Enforcement of Richmond
                 Campaign Mailer Labeling Ordinance

Richmond’s campaign mailer law was being enforced against our campaign in a
manner intended to interfere with our ability to communicate with voters about
the so-called soda tax appearing on the city’s ballot this November as Measure
N. Judge Charles Breyer’s ruling means that interference comes to an end.

The proponents of the tax didn’t want us to be able to arm voters with the
truth about Measure N—that it is really a general tax on businesses that trade
in any one of hundreds beverages containing added sugar and that it is going to
raise grocery prices on people whether or not they drink soda.

They also don’t want Richmond voters to know that Measure N doesn’t raise
any revenue specifically to fight obesity—and in point of fact all proceeds from
the tax would flow into the city’s general fund where they could be used by city
politicians any way they please provided it is for a lawful municipal purpose.

Finally, they don’t want voters to know that by imposing Measure N on local
businesses and forcing them to raise prices, these local markets, shops,
restaurants and other small businesses on which livelihoods depend would lose
millions of dollars a year in sales when shoppers and diners go elsewhere to
avoid higher prices.