Posted on 10/13/2009 3:53:05 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
A proposal to increase the state beer tax drew support and criticism in Madison on Tuesday. Some think it will help crack down on drunken driving, while others aren't as sure.
Advocates and opponents of the beer tax increase piled into the public hearing.
After the bill's author, Representative Teresa Berceau (D-Madison) rattled off Wisconsin's notorious drinking statistics, she said the tax is affordable for the average drinker and would fund reform against drunken driving.
"We're talking about drinking a six-pack a day, seven days a week to generate an additional dollar of taxes. If you're drinking more than that, you are part of the problem and you should be putting money in the kitty for the solution," Rep. Berceau said.
Wendy Calvillo says she learned life is not fair when a drunken driver killed her husband and eleven-year-old son in February.
"In my heart I believe our offender didn't just kill two lives, he killed six. As a result of his actions our family will never be whole again," Calvillo said, unable to hold back the emotion.
She was among those at the Capitol supporting a beer tax hike to fund crackdowns on drunk driving and treatment for offenders.
A beer tax increase would be the first in 40 years in Wisconsin.
The proposal would hike the tax from the current 3.6 cents per six-pack to about 15 cents per six-pack -- about 400 percent.
If passed, the tax would generate about $58 million to pay for costs associated with alcohol abuse.
Wisconsin breweries are against this bill for two reasons: They don't think this bill will save lives, and it would cause a massive hit to their bottom line.
Because the tax would apply directly to the producers of beer, brewers from around the state spoke up against the tax hike.
"The increase we are talking about for our company is almost $200,000. It equates to 30 percent of our staff," Wisconsin Brewers Association president Carl Nolan said.
"While an increase in the beer tax may affect sales, it does not curb abuse," Marty Schrieber of MillerCoors said.
One micro-brewer told lawmakers he believes the tax could ruin him.
"I will brew it in another state," Paul Salinas said. "It doesn't need to be brewed in Wisconsin and carry that burden with it, because I can't compete with the other brewers in other states that don't have that tax."
Governor Doyle has said he is against this bill. AddThis Social Bookmark Button
Just keep pushing it fellas, I don’t think you know how pissed off beer drinkers already are!
If you want to stop drunk driving, punish drunk drivers more severely. This punishes those who never drink and drive as well.
Sounds like Wisconsin has a robust economy, if their businesses can afford a new tax.
At least they are not using the useless canard about it stopping underage drinking, which is the usual excuse for increasing taxes on cigarettes, to stop underage smoking..........
Don’t be sucked in by the safety and drunk driver ploy. These politicians could care less about your safety. Money is the name of the game. They could care less about my health. They just want the tax money on tobacco. Money is 99.9% of everything. These pols just use safety or health to justify their greedy actions.
“Don’t be sucked in by the safety and drunk driver ploy.”
Yep, we all know that the tax revenue created will go to build bike paths and “green spaces”.
If passed, the tax would generate about $58 million to pay for costs associated with alcohol abuse.
I highly doubt that. I'd like that representative to give a Break-down of what the alleged costs associated with alcohol abuse really are in a State with about 5 1/2 Million people. How do they come up with $58,000,000, Hmmm? Once they start taxing you, it NEVER STOPS you know.
they don’t give a CRAP about drunk driving! And neither does anyone in MADD! If they did then they would deal with the problem by other means than arrests,fines and court dates...all of which DO NOT stop people from drunk driving...at least not the drunks.
Alcoholics don’t care if they have to pay an extra buck for their fix.
stop alcoholism and drunk driving will cease.
perhaps anyone who has had a drunk driving arrest shouldn’t be allowed to purchase alcohol.
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