Assembly Member Richard Bloom has authored legislation to tax soda sold in California as a way to tackle the state’s diabetes and obesity crisis and raise revenue to fund public health programs. Championing a statewide soda tax has put him on the front lines of California’s political fight against the soda industry. Bloom represents western Los Angeles County in the California State Assembly and is a former Mayor of Santa Monica.
Assistant Professor Jennifer Falbe has conducted exploratory research on the potentially addictive properties of sugar-sweetened beverages among adolescents, and in 2019 led an evaluation of the nation’s first “soda tax” in Berkeley, California, which suggested that such taxes effectively reduce sugary drink consumption and help improve public health. She is on the faculty of the UC Davis Department of Human Ecology.