▁than ▁ 2 - to - 1 ▁margin ." ▁In ▁California , ▁however , ▁support ▁for ▁a ▁tax ▁has ▁been ▁high ▁for ▁a ▁few ▁years . ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁Field ▁Pol l ▁conducted ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁" N ear ly ▁ 3 ▁out ▁of ▁ 5 ▁California ▁vot ers ▁would ▁support ▁a ▁special ▁fee ▁on ▁soft ▁drink s ▁to ▁fight ▁child hood ▁ob es ity ." ▁ ▁Support ▁for ▁a ▁s oda ▁tax ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁was ▁higher ▁when ▁pol lst ers ▁say ▁the ▁money ▁will ▁go ▁towards ▁health ▁care . ▁A ▁Qu inn ip iac ▁University ▁poll ▁released ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁found ▁that ▁New ▁York ers ▁opposed ▁a ▁state ▁tax ▁on ▁s oda ▁of ▁one ▁pen ny ▁per ▁ ounce ▁by ▁a ▁ 3 5 - point ▁margin , ▁but ▁opposition ▁dropped ▁to ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁one ▁point ▁when ▁respond ents ▁were ▁told ▁the ▁money ▁would ▁go ▁towards ▁health ▁care . ▁A ▁Thompson ▁Re ut ers ▁poll ▁released ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁month ▁found ▁that ▁ 5 1 ▁percent ▁of ▁Americans ▁opposed ▁a ▁s oda ▁tax , ▁while ▁ 3 3 ▁percent ▁supported ▁one . ▁ ▁Lob by ing ▁ ▁Fight ing ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁soft ▁drink ▁tax es , ▁the ▁American ▁B ever age ▁Association , ▁the ▁largest ▁U . S . ▁trade ▁organization ▁for ▁soft ▁drink ▁bott lers , ▁has ▁spent ▁considerable ▁money ▁lo bb ying ▁Congress . ▁The ▁Association ' s ▁annual ▁lo bb ying ▁sp ending ▁rose ▁from ▁about ▁$ 3