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Restaurant owner blasts Murray’s plan for Seattle soda tax

Mar 27, 2017, 8:51 AM | Updated: 8:52 am

Seattle soda tax readerboard...

The owner of Burger Boss Drive-In in White Center says soda drinks amount to almost a quarter of his sales. (KIRO 7)

(KIRO 7)

A restaurant owner is using his readerboard to blast Mayor Ed Murray’s plan for a Seattle soda tax.

Related: Can Seattle really stomach more taxes?

The owner of Burger Boss Drive-In in White Center says soda drinks amount to almost a quarter of his sales.

Ryan Hopkins says under the mayor’s proposal, the cost of soda syrup is expected to double.

Now he’s using his restaurant’s readerboard to protest the 2 cents per ounce tax on sugary drinks at the wholesale level.

“If I’m going to keep the same margins on the soda, yeah, my $2.50 jumbo soda is now going to be over $5 with tax,” Hopkins said.

Murray sees the tax as way of raising money to eliminate racial disparities in Seattle education.

It is not yet known when the soda tax will get a vote at the city council.

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Restaurant owner blasts Murray’s plan for Seattle soda tax