Temperance Union pushes higher WI beer tax

Modern Brewery Age, April 7, 2003

AP -- Allegra Zick, 71, is squaring off against Wisconsin's beer industty in proposing new state beer taxes.

"We haven't raised the tax on beer in Wisconsin for over 30 years," said Zick, a member of the Women s Christian Temperance Union and the Bamboo School Board.

But although the tax hasn't gone up since 1970, she said the costs associated with drinking have exploded--in traffic crashes, higher car insurance rates, criminal courts, rehabilitation prison and welfare.

"No one at Miller Park would object to paying 10 cents more for a beer," Zick asserted.

Breweries, wholesalers and out-of-state shippers pay 6.5 cents a gallon in state beer taxes, bringing in $9.6 million during the 2002 fiscal year.

The tax on distilled spirits and wine is $3.25 a gallon, bringing in $36 million in 2002. That tax has not been raised since 1982.

Paul Lucas, a spokesman for Miller Brewing Co., said the brewing industry already makes a huge contribution to state coffers, not to mention the jobs and economic development it creates.

"If you look at the total taxes paid in the state of Wisconsin, the beer industry contributes in excess of $114 million, if you include excise, payroll and local taxes," Lucas said.

He said beer would hit lower-income families hardest, since more than half of beer is bought by families earning $45,000 a year or less.

Zick proposed the tax increase in a letter to Gov. Jim Doyle, but his spokesman, Dan Leistikow, said the governor won't support any tax increases to fix Wisconsin's $3.2 billion budget deficit.

There are six remaining chapters of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in Wisconsin, with a total of fewer than 100 members.