On Jan. 1, Seattle began taxing sweetened beverages at a rate of 1.75 cents per ounce of soda, sports drink, iced tea and other products with added caloric sweeteners. The exceptions, according to the city of Seattle’s explanation of ordinance CB 118965, are beverages that have only natural fruit or vegetable juice with no additional sweetener, drinks with fewer than 40 calories in 12-ounce containers, and diet beverages with zero-calorie artificial sweeteners. ...