Calif cities can collect soda taxes despite state law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – California cities can collect sales taxes on soda and sugar-sweetened drinks despite a state law that would have penalized them by cutting them off from all sales taxes, an appeals court ruled, upholding a trial court decision declaring the law unenforceable. California legislators passed the Keep Groceries Affordable Act in 2018 after several cities passed tax ordinances to discourage consumers from ingesting sugary foods on the belief that would curb obesity. The beverage industry also floated an amendment to the California Constitution making it harder for local governments to pass new taxes and fees. Lawmakers…