by Kevin Feeley

Philadelphia is about to make a real difference in the fight against poverty. City Council is poised to vote this week on the Soda Tax, a measure that, if approved, will generate $90 million in new revenue to fund a dramatic expansion of education programs and a long-overdue revitalization of neighborhood rec centers, parks, and libraries.

Don’t be fooled by the soda industry’s bitter campaign of misinformation. They have spent more than $4.7 million over the last 90 days trying to discredit the Mayor Kenney’s proposals. These desperate tactics cannot change the fact that if the tax becomes law, the Mayor will do what he has promised from the start: The City will fund an expansion of high-quality pre-K that will make this vitally-important learning experience available to 6,500 additional three and four-year-old children across the city.

When the bill is passed, the Administration also will launch its $300 million plan to revitalize scores of recreation centers, libraries and parks in virtually every Philadelphia neighborhood. Passage also will give the green light to launch the creation of 25 new community schools, where additional services like health care, behavioral health and a range of other important services will “wrap around” the educational program and make it more effective.

These programs will mark the first comprehensive anti-poverty program in Philadelphia in decades, and they provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move the city forward where it matters most: educating our children and revitalizing our neighborhoods.

No one -- not even the soda industry – disputes the need for expanded pre-K in Philadelphia. It is the great equalizer in education, a chance to provide young children with the foundation they need for greater academic success in the future. Research shows that children who participate in high-quality pre-K programs are much better-prepared to achieve academic success. And that quality pre-K also puts them on the road to making better life choices, too: they are less likely to drink, smoke, or use drugs as teenagers.

At the same time, community Schools will offer expanded health and nutritional services at schools that will dramatically improve the ability to identify and treat children’s health problems quicker and more effectively, while likely to become a national model for educational success. And by revitalizing our parks and rec centers, the City can offer afterschool activities that increase children’s physical activity, all while once again making these facilities the centerpiece of the communities they were designed to serve.

But instead of embracing the chance to address poverty in a meaningful way, opponents have spread misinformation about its impact on our city, all in a desperate attempt to preserve the billions of dollars in annual profits that the soda industry generates each year.

Don’t be fooled by the latest attack alleging that the Mayor misled City Council and the public about where the tax revenues would be spent. The “fund balance” argument is just another attempt to divert public attention from the fact that the Mayor’s proposals enjoy widespread support from Philadelphians from every walk of life.

The truth is, the Soda Tax represents the fairest, most effective way to benefit poor people and children by funding programs that address the most pressing issues of our time: fighting poverty, improving public education, and revitalizing the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

There is no more important work that the City can do than to provide greater opportunities for tens of thousands of our fellow citizens. If we’re serious about fighting poverty and building a better future for Philadelphia, now is the time for action.

Kevin Feeley is the spokesman for Philadelphians for A Fair Future, a citywide coalition of 81 organizations that support the Soda Tax. He is a resident of Chestnut Hill.