▁found ▁that ▁Philadelphia ' s ▁tax ▁has ▁decre ased ▁sug ary ▁be verage ▁consumption ▁in ▁imp over ished ▁youth ▁by ▁ 1 . 3 ▁drink s / week . ▁ ▁L angel lier ▁et ▁al . ▁also ▁found ▁that ▁when ▁pa ired ▁with ▁the ▁pre - K ▁program , ▁attend ance ▁increases ▁significantly , ▁a ▁finding ▁that ▁is ▁likely ▁to ▁have ▁longer ▁term ▁positive ▁effects ▁than ▁a ▁sug ary ▁drink ▁tax ▁alone . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Pe psi ▁laid ▁off ▁between ▁ 8 0 ▁and ▁ 1 0 0 ▁employees ▁at ▁two ▁distribution ▁plants ▁in ▁Philadelphia ▁and ▁one ▁plant ▁in ▁nearby ▁Wil ming ton , ▁Del aware . ▁The ▁company ▁bl amed ▁the ▁lay offs ▁on ▁the ▁tax , ▁an ▁assertion ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁city ▁government . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁American ▁B ever age ▁Association , ▁Philadelphia ▁business ▁own ers , ▁and ▁other ▁pla int iffs ▁file d ▁a ▁law suit ▁against ▁the ▁s oda ▁tax , ▁alleg ing ▁that ▁the ▁tax ▁viol ated ▁the ▁" T ax ▁Un iform ity ▁Cla use " ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁constitution . ▁The ▁legal ▁challenge ▁was ▁dismiss ed ▁by ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁Common ▁Ple as ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁and ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Court ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁( in ▁a ▁ 5 - 2 ▁decision ) ▁aff ir med ▁that ▁r uling . ▁The ▁A BA ▁appe aled ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Supreme