NEW MEXICO BREWERS ARE RAILING AGAINST THE MOVE TO RAISE THE TAX ON ALCOHOL. LOCAL BREWERS TELL THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL THAT’LL ONLY HURT THE STATE’S GROWING CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY. THE PROPOSAL BEING PROMOTED BY THE GROUP ALCOHOL TAXES SAVE LIVES WOULD RAISE THE TAX TO THE HIGHEST IN THE U-S … MORE THAN 2-AND-A-HALF TIMES THE SECOND HIGHEST.
TAX RATES UNDER THE PROPOSAL WOULD DIFFER, DEPENDING ON PRODUCTION. A BREWERY SELLING 4-THOUSAND BARRELS A YEAR WOULD PAY 341-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN TAXES INSTEAD OF JUST UNDER 10 GRAND.
THE GROUP SAYS IT WOULD INCREASE STATE REVENUES BY 154 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. MEMBERS SAY IT WOULD ALSO HELP COVER WHAT THE STATE PAYS FOR PUBLIC COSTS RELATED TO EXCESSIVE DRINKING AND DWI LIKE POLICE HOURS AND MEDICAL TREATMENT.
