Bill Monning_California State Senator (ret.)_2026-07-24_interviewed on KZSC's "Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" by "Dangerous Dan" Orange & "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)

n 2019 Bill sponsored SB347, the Sugar-Seetened Beverage (aka SSB) Warning label act - it made it out of the health committee & appropriations (the latter because it was "de minimis"), but died on the Senate Floor due to machinations of "Big Soda"; "Big Soda" & "Big Food" got an initiative on the ballot in 2018 to raise the approval level for city & county taxes on food & beferages to 2/3 - the legislature negotiated with them to remove the initiative in exchange for passing a low (the "Keep Groceriees Affordable Act of 2018") to ban local taxes on food & beverages (digression into SEIU & the "Billionaire Tax" initiative on this year's ballot - a one-time tax in California only to fund health care); deep dive into "Big Food" vs. The People in Santa Cruz Local; in 2024 Santa Cruz City passed a 2 cent tax on SSB, and "Big Soda" sued (public health vs. maximizing profit); was Senator Monning's SB347 inspired by Mexico? Yes! Mexico has a national tax that funds public health; in Santa Cruz, City Councimember (& former mayor) Martine Watkins joined with a non-profit, & won in courts, & won on the ballot, & recently won in Superior Court in Sacramento, which held that a Charter City could tax SSB & not run afould of the "Keep Groceries Affordable Act" (there are 121 Charter Cities in California); "Big Soda" is expected to appeal the Santa Cruz ruling to the State Court of Appeals for the 3rd District; Federal Medicare cuts impacting Medical recipients, SNAP (food stamps) as wel, by putting up roadblocks to disqualify recipients; there's a full court press against children, especially poor kids, in counties. An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan" Orange & "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez) airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California. 2026 is Bushwhacker's 37th year on the air! Thanks for listening! To support KZSC (& these podcasts), please go to KZSC.FM and click on the "Donate to KZSC" button in the upper right-hand corner. Thanks!