Fighting poverty and building up neighborhoods requires investing in our people — and that’s exactly what the Philadelphia Beverage Tax does.
A 1.5-cent per ounce levy on sweetened beverages, like soda, the Philly Bev Tax pays for:
- PHLpreK: The City’s no-cost, quality pre-K program is currently enrolling nearly 2,000 kids and has already created over 250 jobs in early childhood education. The City plans to expand PHLpreK for thousands more kids in the coming years.
- Community Schools: It is very difficult to succeed academically if you come to school hungry, sick, traumatized or suffering from the many other consequences of poverty. The nine community schools the City launched in September provide services directly to students and their families to combat these barriers to success. Services like: job training, parenting classes, expanded afterschool activities, and clothing banks. Thanks to the beverage tax, we’ll be able to turn 25 existing neighborhood public schools into community schools over the next five years.
- Rebuild: The Rebuild initiative will provide $500 million for much needed renovations and updates to parks, rec centers and libraries throughout the City. These renovations will be accompanied by a job training program that will provide unemployed and low-skilled Philadelphians with a career in the building trades. Over its seven-year lifetime, we expect Rebuild to improve the spaces and programming where our children spend their out of school time, and provide a workforce development model that can be used all over the city to fight unemployment, given our construction boom.
Literally thousands of kids are already benefiting from the programs funded by the Philly Bev Tax. Many of them — and some of their parents — wrote to Mayor Kenney about it.
Amid attends PHLpreK. “Thank you for letting me come to school,” he says. “We get food and play.”
Xavier attends Southwark, one of Philadelphia’s Community Schools. “I got my physical at school,” he writes, “and I saved trouble by not having to go to a physician and pay. I got to play basketball and had a great time.”
Alayah goes to PHLpreK. “I come to school,” she says. “I like my school. Thank you.”
6-year-old Sagah likes Towey Rec Center “because we play in the swings, slide, and the gym. And we go to the after-school program.”
Ahnya attends Edward Gideon School, one of Philadelphia’s community schools, and expressed thanks for its coordinator, Mr. Wright. “He’s always pleasant with a great attitude,” Ahnya writes. “I’m very thankful.”
Brielle, a PHLpreK student, had a simple message: “Thank you!”
One parent expressed thanks for PHLpreK. “My daughter is able to attend preschool five days a week through the PHLpreK program. Previously, I could only afford to send her three days a week…I am so glad she’s in preschool full-time…I’ve been telling people who discuss the soda tax that my daughter benefits and I’m grateful.”
Shyeem, Zuri, Kumayan, and Hasanna wrote a letter together explaining the many reasons they love Amos Rec Center, including eating, doing their ABCs, and playing there.
Markala attends PHLpreK. “Thank you,” she says, “for our principal and school.”
