▁a ▁s oda ▁tax ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁The ▁campaign ▁to ▁introduce ▁the ▁tax ▁was ▁heavily ▁fund ed ▁by ▁Mike ▁Blo om berg . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁a ▁Cook ▁County ▁judge ▁granted ▁a ▁temporary ▁rest ra ining ▁order ▁file d ▁by ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Ret ail ▁Mer ch ants ▁Association ▁and ▁several ▁Cook ▁County - based ▁gro cers ▁that ▁prohib ited ▁the ▁tax ▁from ▁being ▁put ▁into ▁effect ▁until ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 2 ▁July . ▁The ▁tax ▁eventually ▁went ▁into ▁effect ▁on ▁ 2 ▁August . ▁Due ▁to ▁a ▁conflict ▁with ▁the ▁Supp lement al ▁N ut r ition ▁Ass istance ▁Program , ▁this ▁s oda ▁tax ▁did ▁not ▁apply ▁to ▁any ▁s oda ▁purch ases ▁made ▁with ▁food ▁st amps , ▁which ▁were ▁used ▁by ▁over ▁ 8 7 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people . ▁Cont ro vers ial ly , ▁the ▁tax ▁affected ▁di et ▁drink s ▁but ▁not ▁sugar - pack ed ▁fruit ▁ju ices . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Commission ers ▁voted ▁to ▁repe al ▁the ▁tax ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 5 - 1 ▁vote . ▁The ▁tax ▁stayed ▁in ▁effect ▁up ▁until ▁ 1 ▁December . ▁The ▁tax ▁was ▁highly ▁un pop ular ▁and ▁seen ▁mainly ▁as ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁plug ▁the ▁county ' s ▁$ 1 . 8 ▁billion ▁budget ▁def ic it , ▁rather ▁than ▁a ▁public ▁health ▁measure . ▁ ▁N ava