Today, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) introduced legislation to eliminate the statewide preemption on local sugary drink taxes, a measure forced upon the legislature by the soda industry in 2018 that was described by the Sacramento Bee as a “shakedown” akin to “extortion”. As California counties and cities are considering all options to close their unprecedented budgetary shortfalls, Assemblymember Nazarian believes the legislature should give municipalities access to every revenue-generating option, especially one that simultaneously improves public health outcomes…
