Soda Tax Ads to Air During World Series, Thanks to Mike Bloomberg

Berkeley, meet Bloomberg, and the both of you, meet the World Series.

Ads promoting Berkeley's soda tax as a solid idea will air during the World Series, a big-time buy paid for by the former New York City mayor.

Michael Bloomberg is spending some of his billions – $200,000, to be precise – on campaign messages extolling Berkeley voters to support Measure D, which would slap a penny-per-ounce tax on drinks with sugar added, the San Francisco Chronicle noted.

Bloomberg's spending may help circumvent the ocean of campaign cash the soda industry has poured into the effort to defeat the tax. The American Beverage Association has spent $2.1 million to sway Berkeley's 80,000 voters, according to the newspaper.

Or enough cash to buy each registered voter several dozen Coca-Colas.

The ads, to be unveiled during Game 3, show AT&T Park with the message that there are enough obese Bay Area children to fill the Giants' ballpark "three times," the newspaper noted.

Berkeley's soda tax can pass with a simple majority. A similar tax on the San Francisco ballot requires two-thirds voter approval.

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