new york philadelphia mayor jim kenney score victory elude 40 u.s. public officials take powerful u.s. soda industry city council vote thursday slap tax sweeten drink bitter months-long battle city council vote 13-4 approve 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax sugary diet drink begin january council already approve plan preliminary vote last week outcome expect change city brotherly love become big u.s. city tax much small berkeley california first similar efforts include several spearhead former new york city mayor michael bloomberg defeat intense lobby organizations like american beverage association oppose philadelphia move represent coca-cola co pepsico inc. follow thursday vote aba say would take legal action stop tax philadelphia vote mark major victory health advocate say sugary drink cause obesity diabetes experts note concern focus kenney backers tax take critics complain nanny state public health measure intrude residents personal live instead kenney rewrite soda-tax advocate playbook play benefit cash injection tax city deplete coffers first year tax project raise 91 million pledge spend fund public program universal pre-kindergarten want tax something people know money go go easy get behind kenney say interview note focus revenue rather health largely responsible measure passage strategic shift could lend momentum movements san francisco neighbor oakland california boulder colorado residents cities vote november similar tax could deal blow u.s. soft drink industry already hit decline soda consumption u.s. soda consumption fell 11th straight year 2015 accord euromonitor data bloomberg make public health centerpiece tenure new york city mayor 2002 2013. move limit smoke park restaurants ban transfats require calorie count post restaurants soda push tax ban soda purchase food stamp finally much-lampooned limit size sugary drink efforts ultimately reject critics decry move toward nanny state strategy work britain new soft drink levy announce march officials emphasize country obesity crisis say cost economy billions pound annually huge burden state-funded health system approach never work philadelphia michael nutter previous mayor twice try pass soda tax health initiative way plug budget shortfall unable push city council twice use philadelphia successful use new york effective say kenney add health benefit tax less important less tangible kenney become mayor january make campaign pledge provide universal pre-kindergarten keep issue focus spokeswoman say complex state laws taxation make enact citywide soda tax best option raise revenue signature proposal bloomberg personally contribute fund support philadelphia pro-tax campaigners opponents philadelphia soda tax argue measure disproportionately hurt poor prompt philadelphians travel nearby suburbs buy soda spokesman philly grocery tax local aba-funded group say would sue city stop impose unconstitutional tax still analyze legal options statement call tax regressive discriminatory kenney say city prepare defend tax litigation beverage industry precedent staunchly fight problem kenney say go see beginnings kind domino effect relative specific effort colorado boulder hop use soda tax revenue health program san francisco oakland officials would recommend require fund raise go toward obesity diabetes prevention berkeley pass soda tax 2014 industry group dismiss measure fluke give city largely white population reputation hotbed liberal measure philadelphia fifth-largest u.s. city 1.6 million people one trivialize trivialize berkeley say larry tramutola california political strategist work berkeley campaign currently lead san francisco oakland efforts philadelphia pass soda tax mayor rewrite playbook