Oakley Melton Jr.

Oakley Melton, attorney for the Alabama Soft Drink Association, said carbonated beverages are not to blame for obesity problems in students.It's a lack of exercise and not eating a balance diet, he said.

Oakley Melton, attorney for the Alabama Soft Drink Association, said Thursday that his organization would continue to oppose a tax on soft drinks.He said soft drinks are already subject to state and local sales taxes and that an additional levy would be double taxation.

"It would lead to people going across the state line to buy soft drinks," he said.

One member of the coalition, Kimble Forrister, executive director of Alabama Arise, said rather than a soft drink tax, he favors removing income tax loopholes and deductions, including allowing residents to deduct federal income taxes from their state taxes.

Oakley Melton Jr., the long time attorney for the Alabama Soft Drink Association, warned the tax would hit hardest the children of Alabama and the poor people.

Oakley Melton, executive director of the Alabama Soft Drink Association, said bottled beverage taxes have been proposed in Alabama before and have never passed the Legislature.

Melton said soft drinks already have the state sales tax levied on them, and it's unfair to tax them at a higher rate than other items in the grocery store.

Oakley Melton, executive director of the Alabama Soft Drink Association, said bottled beverage taxes have been proposed in Alabama before and have never passed the Legislature.

Melton said soft drinks already have the state sales tax levied on them, and it's unfair to tax them at a higher rate than other items in the grocery store.

Melton said North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania used to have soft drink taxes but have repealed them.The only states that still have them are Arkansas and West Virginia, he said.

Oakley Melton, attorney for the Alabama Soft Drink Association, said his organization would oppose a tax on soft drinks.He said previous efforts to tax soft drinks in Alabama have failed.

Oakley Melton, attorney for the Alabama Soft Drink Association, said bottled beverage taxes have been proposed in Alabama before and have never passed the Legislature.

Melton said soft drinks already have the state sales tax levied on them, and it's unfair to tax them at a higher rate than other items in the grocery store.

"Soft drinks are a legitimate refreshment beverage primarily consumed by children and poor people," the Montgomery attorney said.

Melton said North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania used to have soft drink taxes, but have repealed them.The only states that still have them are Arkansas and West Virginia, he said.

The tax proposed by the Alabama State Employees Association would cover soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, alcoholic beverages, mixers and juice drinks containing less than 100 percent fruit juice.It would not cover milk, 100 percent juice, and baby formula.

Based on the national consumption figures for soft drinks and bottled water, the average Alabamian would pay an extra $28 per year if the association's proposal became law.

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Oakley Melton, executive director of the Alabama Soft Drink Association, said bottled beverage taxes have been proposed in Alabama before and have never passed the Legislature.

Melton said soft drinks already have the state sales tax levied on them, and it's unfair to tax them at a higher rate than other items in the grocery store.

"Soft drinks are a legitimate refreshment beverage primarily consumed by children and poor people," the Montgomery attorney said.

Melton said North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania used to have soft drink taxes, but have repealed them.The only states that still have them are Arkansas and West Virginia, he said.

The tax proposed by the Alabama State Employees Association would cover soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, alcoholic beverages, mixers and juice drinks containing less than 100 percent fruit juice.It would not cover milk, 100 percent juice, and baby formula.