Remind Me Not to Go on a Bender in Portland, Oregon
I really hate to rock the boat with my super-unpopular opinions, but I'm gonna have to say that I'm kinda not in favor of city legislatures imposing 1900% taxes on alcoholic beverages…
Four Portland legislators joined a Springfield senator to introduce Oregon House Bill 2461, which would impose a $49.61 tax on each barrel of beer produced by Oregon brewers…
The bill's language defends the tax by arguing alcoholism and “untreated substance abuse” costs the state $4.15 billion in lost earnings as well as more than $8 million for health care and nearly $1 billion in law enforcement-related expenditures.
I know everyone's gonna jump all over me for this one, but this just seems a tad bit reactionary to me.
Maybe it's just because I live in New York City where a 1900% pay hike would translate into a $114 pint of beer at your average Manhattan bar.
And that's slightly more than I generally feel like paying.
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As it stands, Oregon doesn't have a tax on beer, or it's very low…the REST of the country has been paying taxes on it for years, and now it's Oregon's turn.
Don't make a big deal out of it, please.
2 points …
1) is this a secret attempt to stump the growing popularity of small breweries by the big ones ?
2) law enforcement MAKES money from alcohol violations
It only effects Oregon breweries? So I can pay $4.15 for my typically $4.00 Oregon Trail Wit and yet still get Naddy Light for $1.50? Er, you know, if they're going after alcoholics–by definition, people who are planning on drinking MORE than one pint– they're taxing the wrong beer!
Beer tax? What's next? A tax for my Johnson? (granted a small tax)
Wait wait. Substance abuse costs? Shouldn't they be taxing, like, box wine and meth, then?
Almost all alcohol tax increases fail. And you notice how beer was singled out. Not wine or liquor. I'm sure there are wine and liquor producers in Oregon. But I guess no one gets drunk and causes trouble with those.
I want to add, the only $4.50 pint I had in Oregon last summer was at Rogue's brewhouse in Newport. I won't be going to another Rogue brewhouse anytime soon.
But I would have to say, the moral of this story is: avoid taxes, homebrew.
Oregon has no sales tax, so right now it's being taxed nothing..
1900% sales tax on nothing? Practically nothing. The article states it's increased to .15 a glass if the tax was passed on EXACTLY (not increased beyond the tax)..