As you walk into your local convenience or grocery store, it’s hard not to notice the huge variety of drink options that are available. If you are thirsty, it must seem like a paradise to have such cheap, readily available drinks all located in one place. For years, soft drinks and other artificially sweetened drinks have been extremely cheap in the state of Illinois, often being cheaper than water and other more healthy options.

But now the affordability of these drinks will be going down, as the Cook County Board voted on November 10 to introduce a new tax that will tax artificially sweetened drinks an extra penny per ounce contained in the drink. The vote was tightly contested, with the tax prevailing in a 9-8 vote. The deciding vote was none other than Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who had originally introduced the tax last year.

Preckwinkle says the tax will increase revenue for the county while also promoting better health and welfare of the public. Similar taxes exist in other large cities such as Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver.

While it remains to be see how this tax will affect Niles North and its cafeteria and vending machines, students are already viewing this act as unnecessary and ridiculous.

“I think it’s stupid. I don’t think politicians should just be able to decide that something suddenly costs more whenever they want. Let alone something like soda, which I drink all the time.” Brandon Lukose, sophomore, said.

[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”I think it’s stupid. I don’t think politicians should just be able to decide that something suddenly costs more whenever they want.”[/perfectpullquote]

While this tax has not gone into effect yet, it is already polarizing citizens of Cook County, and surely more people will have opinions once the tax is in place.

Featured Image credits to Sam and Samm Eats