Changes

Cities The '''American Beverage Association''' (ABA) is a 501(c)(6) trade association and a lobbying powerhouse bankrolled by the largest players in the soft drink industry including Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola. (ABA’s full membership directory can be viewed [http://www.ameribev.org/our-members/member-directory/?letter=#member_results here.]) The D.C.-based ABA is currently led by Susan K. Neely, President and Chief Executive Officer. In numerous localities, the ABA partners with U.S. Chamber of Commerce affiliates like the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and local chambers like the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.<ref>Hayat Norimine, [https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2017/6/5/city-council-approves-soda-tax City Council Approves Soda Tax], ''Seattle Met'', June 5, 2017.</ref><ref>Pete Kotz, [https://www.laweekly.com/news/how-the-us-chamber-of-commerce-became-the-greatest-bumbling-enemy-of-america-4393383 How the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Became the Greatest (Bumbling) Enemy of America], ''L.A. Weekly'', January 30, 2014.</ref> Statewide retail and counties grocery groups like Illinois Retail Merchants Association and PA Food Merchants Association have long played also been active. In Michigan in 2017, farm groups and the [[National Federation of Independent Business]] (NFIB) took a valuable leading role as laboratories on a state level bill to prevent soda tax initiatives. In Arizona in 2018, a host of business groups including the Arizona Beverage Association, Arizona Retailers Association, Arizona Restaurant Association, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, and more worked to pass another state level bill to prevent local soda tax campaigns. [[#State Preemption of democracy Local Ordinances|See below for important more]]. ==Broad Anti-Grocery Tax Measures on the Ballot in Washington and Oregon, 2018==  Seattle's soda tax took effect in January 2018. Since then, more kids and adults are drinking water, and it brought in more than $10 million in revenue for use on educational and health programs in its first six months.<ref>Karina Mazhukhina, [https://web.archive.org/web/20180809042753/komonews.com/news/local/seattles-soda-tax-prompts-more-kids-adults-to-drink-water-study-says Seattle’s soda tax prompts more kids, adults to drink water, study says], ''KOMO News'', August 2018, archived by the Wayback Machine, accessed November 30, 2018.</ref><ref>Daniel Beekman, [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-soda-tax-brings-in-more-than-10m-in-first-six-months/ Seattle soda tax brings in more than $10M in first six months], ''Seattle Times'', August 8, 2018.</ref> But in February 2018, a committee with the name "Yes! To Affordable Groceries" was launched to make sure the public health measure would not be adopted by any other local governments in Washington. Initiative 1634 was a deceptively simple anti-grocery tax measure that has been run through the corporate spin machine; it opened with the line, "Whereas access to food is a basic human need of every Washingtonian." The soda industry raised over $20 million for the effort, with little organized opposition on the other side.<ref name=rm>CMDEditors, [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/10/16/reporters-memo-coke-and-pepsi-play-hardball-in-attempt-to-prevent-the-spread-of-soda-taxes/ Reporters Memo: Coke and Pepsi Play Hardball in Attempt to Prevent the Spread of Soda Taxes], ''Exposed by CMD'', Oct. 19, 2018.</ref> Initiative 1634 was passed November 6, 2018 by a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent.<ref>Julia Belluz, [https://www.vox.com/policy innovations-and-politics/2018/11/7/18069890/washington-initiative-1634-results-soda-grocery-tax Coca-Cola and Pepsi’s deceptive tactic to stop soda taxes worked in Washington state], including public health policies''Vox'', Nov. 6, 2018. </ref> As of November 30, 2018, "Yes! To Affordable Groceries" had raised $22,114,513.97 and spent $20,204,044.02.<ref name=PDC1634>Washington Public Disclosure Commission, [https://www.pdc.wa.gov/browse/campaign-explorer/committee?filer_id=YESTA%20%20015&election_year=2018 YES! TO AFFORDABLE GROCERIES (SEE EMAIL FOR REST OF NAME), 2018], Washington state government agency website, accessed Nov. 30, 2018.</ref> The top donors to "Yes! To Affordable Groceries" were:<ref name=PDC1634/> * The Coca-Cola Company: $10,562,245.13* Pepsico, Inc.: $7,963,710.08* Keurig Dr. Pepper (Fka Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.): $2,393,488.00* Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.: $911,021.38* Red Bull North America: $59,535.41 Heavy-handed industry tactics were also on display in '''Oregon''' in 2018, where grocers and the ABA raised at least $6.5 million on an overly broad constitutional amendment that would not just have impacted soda taxes but could be read as prohibiting taxes at all stages in the chain of commerce, permanently preventing the state and its cities and counties across the county introduce from levying any taxes on sodas and sweetened beverages related to counter distribution or sale of groceries. Under the name "Yes! Keep Our Groceries Tax Free!," the rise ABA kicked in obesitytwo enormous cash contributions of $500,000 each towards the end of the campaign.<ref name=rm/> The Oregon bill failed on November 6, 2018.<ref>KVAL and AP, [https://kval.com/news/local/oregon-voters-reject-measure-103-104-105-106-grocery-tax-sanctuary-initiative-abortion-measures Oregon voters reject sanctuary status repeal, abortion initiative, diabetesgrocery tax measure], heart disease ''KVAL'' and other serious public health challenges''AP'', November 6, 2018.</ref> The top donors to "Yes! Keep Our Groceries Tax Free!" were:<ref>Oregon Secretary of State, [https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/cneSearch.do?cneSearchButtonName=search&cneSearchFilerCommitteeId=19419 Transaction Search Results], Oregon state government agency website, accessed Nov. 30, 2018.</ref> * Wilson Grand Communications: $3,980,604.05* ABA: $3,295,345.71* Albertsons Safeway: $985,917* Kroger: $970,917* Morning in America: $751, they are facing sophisticated opposition campaigns spearheaded 243.16 Opponents of the measures on the ballot in Washington were unable to muster the kind of big money wielded by the deep-pocketed soda industry. But health groups like the American Beverage Heart Association (ABA) in Oregon have had some success in educating the media and allied groupsvoters.<ref name=rm/>

In numerous localities, the ABA partners with U.S. Chamber of Commerce affiliates like One headline in the ''Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce or Times'' summarized what was on the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. Statewide retail and grocery groups like Illinois Retail Merchants Association and PA Food Merchants Association have also been active. In Michigan in 2017, farm groups line for local democracy campaigns: "Vote for this initiative and the [[National Federation of Independent Business]] took a leading role on a state level bill you may as well bow down to prevent soda tax initiatives. In Arizona in 2018, a host of business groups including Arizona Beverage Association, Arizona Retailers Association, Arizona Restaurant Association, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance and more, worked to pass another state level bill to prevent local soda tax campaigns. More belowyour corporate overlords. "<ref name=rm/>

There has already been preemption of local ordinances related to nutrition in nine at least 12 states(see the "[[Soda tax#State Preemption of Local Ordinances, At Industry's Behest States Move to Ban Local Soda Tax Ordinances|State Preemption of Local Ordinances, At Industry's Behest States Move to Ban Local Soda Tax Ordinances]]" section of the SourceWatch article on [[Soda taxes]] for more). <ref>Grassroots Change, [https://grassrootschange.net/preemption-watch/#/category/nutrition "Preemption Watch,"] April 2, 2018.</ref>

* Arizona, 2018* California, 2018

Recent state level bills interfering with local democracy, banning local food and nutrition ordinances including soda taxes. :

The bill bans an excise tax “on the manufacture, distribution, wholesale sale, or retail sale of food for immediate consumption or nonimmediate consumption.” A host of agricultural interests registered in favor of the bill including the Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan Sugar Company, Michigan Sheep Producers, Michigan Soybean Association, Michigan Cattlemen’s Association, Michigan Potato Growers and more making it a “farm interests” bill. In addition, the Michigan Manufacturers Association was involved as was the National Federation of Independent BusinessesBusiness. NFIB testified in favor of the bill and was credited by the media as being a major play. NFIB is a large trade association that has worked to preempt paid sick days and city-based minimum wage hikes.

The ABA is getting help from many groups who have been previously involved in preemption battles. Affiliates of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have been active in local fights along with restaurant and grocers associations. Front group propagator and master propagandist [[Richard Berman]] cut ads in Sante Fe for a State Policy Network “think tank,” prompting an ethics complaint. <ref>Albuquerque Journal, [https://www.abqjournal.com/1003877/freemarket-coalition-funded-video-opposing-soda-tax.html "Free-market coalition funded video opposing soda tax,"] May 16th, 2017.</ref> [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/spn/ State Policy Network] groups have been producing and promoting questionable research saying that the soda tax harms the economy. An ALEC legislator successfully preempted local food and nutrition policies<ref>Public Health Law Center, [http://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/sites/default/files/resources/phlc-fs-KS-pre-emption-resources-WEB-2016.pdf "Kansas’ Kansas' Government Control of Local Food Policies Law,"] 2016.</ref> with an ALEC “[https://www.alec.org/model-policy/food-and-nutrition-act/ model bill]” in Kansas. And the [[National Federation of Independent BusinessesBusiness]], which has been battling paid sick leave ordinances, lobbied in favor of soda tax preemption in Michigan.

==FinancialsRelated Organizations==

The *American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America*Americans Against Food Taxes*Americans for Food and Beverage Choice*American Beverage Association Fund for Consumer Choice*American Beverage Association was a $79 million dollar operation as of 2015 according to their IRS 990PAC.

==ResourcesCore Financials==

'''<olbig>2016</big>'''<ref> American Beverage Association, [Paper copy on file at CMD 2016 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, November 15, 2017. [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/530025510/201703199349305130/IRS990 Digital copy available from ''ProPublica'' here].</ref>*Total Revenue: $125,425,727*Total Expenses: $104,837,946*Net Assets: $55,769,675 '''<big>2015</big>'''<ref> American Beverage Association, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4429840-ABA-2015-990.html 2015 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, November 15, 2016.</ref>*Total Revenue: $78,938,044*Total Expenses: $75,309,660*Net Assets: $34,095,108 '''<big>2014</big>'''<ref> American Beverage Association, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4429841-ABA-2014-990.html 2014 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, November 16, 2015.</ref>*Total Revenue: $84,621,486*Total Expenses: $81,079,630*Net Assets: $32,467,331 '''<big>2013</big>'''<ref> American Beverage Association, [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4429842-ABA-2013-990.html 2013 IRS Form 990], Internal Revenue Service, November 17, 2014.</ref>*Total Revenue: $64,708,873*Total Expenses: $62,473,827*Net Assets: $30,114,761 ==Personnel=====Executive Staff=== As of April 2018:<liref>American Beverage Association, [https://www.ameribev.org/about-us/aba-team/ ABA Staff], ''American Beverage Association'', 2018.</ref>*Susan K. Neely, President and CEO*Mark Hammond, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer*Amy E. Hancock, Secretary; General Counsel / Executive Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs*Kevin W. Keane, Executive VP, Government and Public Affairs*Karen Bailey-Chapman, Senior VP, Political Affairs*Sean Krispinsky, Senior VP and Deputy General Counsel<br> The full staff can be viewed [https://www.ameribev.org/about-us/aba-team/ here.] ===Board of Directors=== As of April 2018:<ref>American Beverage Association, [https://www.ameribev.org/about-us/board-of-directors/ Board of Directors], ''American Beverage Association'', 2018.</ref>*Jeffrey Honickman, Chairman; CEO at Pepsi-Cola*Kirk Tyler, Vice Chairman; Chairman at Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company*Susan K. Neely, President and CEO at American Beverage Association*Amy E. Hancock, Secretary; General Counsel / Executive Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, American Beverage Association*Mark Hammond, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, American Beverage Association*Ralph D. Crowley, Jr., Treasurer; President & Chief Executive Officer, Polar Beverages*Rodger L. Collins, Ex-Officio; President, Packaged Beverages, Dr Pepper Snapple Group*Albert P. Carey, Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo North America*Brian Charneski, President, L & E Bottling Company, Inc.*Matthew Dent, President and Chief Operating Officer, Buffalo Rock Company*James Dinkins, President, Coca-Cola North America, The Coca-Cola Company*Paul Finney, President & Chief Executive Officer, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, LLC*Steve Ford, President & Chief Executive Officer, LinPepCo*Brad Goist, Chief Operating Officer, Refresco*Mark Francoeur, President, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England*Seth Goldman, Co-Founder & TeaEO Emeritus, Honest Tea*Walter Gross, III, Sr. Vice President, On-Premise, G & J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers*Sally Hargis, Chairman of the Board, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company*J. Frank Harrison III, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola Consolidated*James J. Johnston, President, Beverage Concentrates and Latin America Beverages, Dr Pepper Snapple Group*John Kalil, Vice President, Kalil Bottling Co.*Stefan Kozak, Chief Executive Officer, Red Bull North America, Inc.*Stuart Kronauge, President of USA Operations & Senior Vice President of Marketing, Coca-Cola North America, The Coca-Cola Company*Jeffrey S. Laschen, Chief Executive Officer, Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling*Jeffrey Miles Minges, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Minges Bottling Group, Inc.*J. Andrew Moore, Co-President, Bigfoot Beverages*Claude B. Nielsen, Chairman of the Board, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc.*Jack Pelo, President & Chief Executive Officer, Swire Coca-Cola, USA*Cliff Ritchie, President & Chief Executive Officer, Carolina Beverage Corp.*Gary Smith, President & Chief Executive Officer, Big Red, Inc.*Kirk Tanner, President & Chief Operating Officer, PepsiCo North America Beverages*Troy D. Taylor, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC ==Contact Information==American Beverage Association<br>1275 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, SUITE 1100<br>Washington, DC 20004<br>Phone: (202) 463-6732<br>Website: https://www.ameribev.org/<br>Email: info@ameribev.org<br>Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmeriBev<br>Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmeriBev/<br> ==Articles and Resources=====IRS Form 990 Filings===<div class="docframe"><p>2016</p><p>{{#widget:Iframe|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4429839-ABA-2016-990.html|width=350|height=250}}</p></div><div class="docframe"><p>2015</p><p>{{#widget:Iframe|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4429840-ABA-2015-990.html|width=350|height=250}}</p></div><div class="docframe"><p>2014</p><p>{{#widget:Iframe|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4429841-ABA-2014-990.html|width=350|height=250}}</p></div><div class="docframe"><p>2013</p><p>{{#widget:Iframe|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4429842-ABA-2013-990.html|width=350|height=250}}</p></div>{{Clear}} ===Center for Media and Democracy articles:<br>Articles===

*[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/10/16/reporters-memo-coke-and-pepsi-play-hardball-in-attempt-to-prevent-the-spread-of-soda-taxes/ Reporters Memo: Coke and Pepsi Play Hardball in Attempt to Prevent the Spread of Soda Taxes]<br>*[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/04/30/trampling-local-democracy-beverage-industry-pushes-soda-tax-ban-harrisburg/ Trampling Local Democracy: Beverage Industry Pushes Soda Tax Ban in Harrisburg]<br>*[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/03/28/bills-ban-local-soda-taxes-moving-states-coke-pepsi-borrow-tobacco-playbook/ Bills to Ban Local Soda Taxes Are Moving In the States, Coke and Pepsi Borrow from the Tobacco Playbook]<br>*[https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/03/29/soda-money-flows-cook-county-races-comes-flat/ Soda Money Flows Into Cook County Races, But Comes Up Flat]</li>

<li>===Websites===[https://grassrootschange.net/ Website of Grassroots Change and the “Preemption Watch” newsletter]</li>[http://leap-preemption.org/index.html Website of Local Solutions Support Center]</li>