Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Democrat Proposes 500% Increase in Beer Tax

Sure, a 500% tax increase sounds great.

But now’s the time for another increase, Rep. Terese Berceau (D-Madison) said Wednesday. She asking lawmakers to consider joining her in support for a bill to take the beer tax from $2 a half barrel of beer to $10 a half barrel, which means an increase of about 2 1/2 cents a bottle.

In isolation, this tax increase may or may not make sense.  When taken in the context of ALL of the other tax and fee increases, it’s just another way to stick it to the citizens of Wisconsin.

(11) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1244 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. She’ll be lucky to get this thing out of committee.  Berceau is just more proof of how we’d all be better off if there were fewer safe seats in the Legislature.

    Posted by Recess Supervisor on April 29, 2009 at 1415 hrs


  2. Is she drunk?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 29, 2009 at 1514 hrs


  3. Yet another regressive tax proposal aimed at hitting the working class square in the piehole (or beer hole as it were) from the supposed champions of the little guy.  What a bunch of phonies!

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 29, 2009 at 1531 hrs


  4. Nevermind, she’s not drunk; she’s just a Democrat.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 29, 2009 at 1651 hrs


  5. Some perspective. Our beer tax is at six cents a gallon. The sensational 500% is five times or 30 cents that puts us below Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and a bunch of other states.

    Besides, the higher price of alcohol might lead to better behavior like it does in Singapore.

    That line:

    Yet another regressive tax proposal aimed at hitting the working class square in the piehole (or beer hole as it were) from the supposed champions of the little guy

    is very cute.

    Love how you guys think that enabling access to things that are detrimental in excess for people you ordinarily crap on—the working class is doing them some kind of favor. Char your lungs, shrink your liver? Hell, the GOP will let you have at it but when it comes to the health care to pay for the damage? Forget it.

    Drink up.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 29, 2009 at 2130 hrs


  6. The sensational 500%...

    Um, Keith… do the math.  It’s not “sensational.”  It’s the truth.

    Posted by Owen on April 29, 2009 at 2153 hrs


  7. I love it, Owen: “enabling access.”  You see adults can’t make their own decisions unless they are “enabled.”  If I decide to make moonshine or home brew, is “society” still “enabling” me by not putting a gun to my head an pulling the trigger, Keith?

    I talked to some of the boys at work, and we’re considering starting up a criminal enterprise to sell blackmarket (read: tax free) cigarettes and booze.  I support this beer tax increase as it can only help our competitive edge; who says WI is hostile to small business owners?!

    Posted by Mike Gallo on April 29, 2009 at 2353 hrs


  8. Keith those states also have CCW, low or no income tax, low gas tax and so on what is your point? Are you saying you would be in favor of all those things because those other states have them?

    Posted by fishaddict on April 30, 2009 at 0757 hrs


  9. Regardless of whatever vice this is supposed to quell, or virtue it’s supposed to promote, taking more money out people’s pockets (including smokers and beer drinkers) and handing it over to the government is bad for the economy.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 30, 2009 at 0838 hrs


  10. There is not one iota of proof that drinking one or two beers a day is deleterious to you health.  In fact the small amounts of alcohol can be beneficial.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 30, 2009 at 0914 hrs


  11. I think the beer tax is a GREAT idea.

    As a smoker, I’ve been demonized and criticized and taxed like crazy.  As a non-drinker, it’s nice to see someone else pay the freight.

    Raise the beer tax 1000%!  10,000%!  100,000%!

    If my vice gets taxed, yours should too!  Class warfare AND vice warfare!  Aren’t democratic majorities fun?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 30, 2009 at 1719 hrs


Commenting is not available in this channel entry.