Washington State increases liquor tax
Ashley Schenk
Issue date: 6/4/09 Section: Feature
Those making alcohol apart of their summer vacation may want to take a second look at their wallet before purchasing a drink. Starting Aug 1 and through the end of 2011, the markup on liquor will significantly increase.
This will cause the markup, the percentage of the cost of product to the Liquor Board, to be 51.9 percent from 39.2 percent. In practical terms, liquor will increase $1.05 per liter.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) agreed to the increase on May 6. They claim that the increase is intended to raise about $80 million in revenue to replace the $78.6 million that the Liquor Revolving Fund by the Legislature in Engrossed Substitute, under House Bill 1244, will be stripping from their budget. Sixty million dollars has been taken from the Legislature to maintain the state budget and the left over $18.6 million would have gone to local governments. Over these two years, the money will be used as a means to help close the state's $9 billion budget deficit.
Some see the Legislature's spike of alcohol tax as fair and reasonable and see the money doing positives things for the state, alcoholics and college students alike.
"We will have money to fix things like our roads," student Jacob Sandall said. "It will raise the amount of money going towards the economy."
Furthermore some see it as a constructive way to, not only raise money for the nation's multibillion-dollar shortfall, but also as another way to discourage people from abusing alcohol.
"I see this as fair and reasonable because people abuse alcohol way too much," student Stevie Laughlin said.
Student Dalyn Davis agreed with Laughlin and stated that raising a substance that causes a disease might influence buyers or alcoholics to decrease their intake and also be a reasonable way to pay our debts.
Many students believe that the price increase in liquor would affect college students and drinking teens in a positive way also.
"I think it may cause college parties to sober up because the students are poor," Dressel said.
Some see that taking money from the Liquor Board's budget to fill the states leaking budget is unfair and agree that no change in price would stop people from drinking.
"People who were buying liquor before this law and would continue, to drink," student Tedodra Pascu said.
Student Easton Dressel believes that it is unfair to tax the liquor department heavily and sees it hurting people and the economy even further.
"Fair no, absolutely not because you are taxing one group more than another," he said. "I see it affecting the economy by causing more people to spend money on booze as they loose their jobs and they'll go broke and then you'll have these people on welfare and food stamps."
This will cause the markup, the percentage of the cost of product to the Liquor Board, to be 51.9 percent from 39.2 percent. In practical terms, liquor will increase $1.05 per liter.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) agreed to the increase on May 6. They claim that the increase is intended to raise about $80 million in revenue to replace the $78.6 million that the Liquor Revolving Fund by the Legislature in Engrossed Substitute, under House Bill 1244, will be stripping from their budget. Sixty million dollars has been taken from the Legislature to maintain the state budget and the left over $18.6 million would have gone to local governments. Over these two years, the money will be used as a means to help close the state's $9 billion budget deficit.
Some see the Legislature's spike of alcohol tax as fair and reasonable and see the money doing positives things for the state, alcoholics and college students alike.
"We will have money to fix things like our roads," student Jacob Sandall said. "It will raise the amount of money going towards the economy."
Furthermore some see it as a constructive way to, not only raise money for the nation's multibillion-dollar shortfall, but also as another way to discourage people from abusing alcohol.
"I see this as fair and reasonable because people abuse alcohol way too much," student Stevie Laughlin said.
Student Dalyn Davis agreed with Laughlin and stated that raising a substance that causes a disease might influence buyers or alcoholics to decrease their intake and also be a reasonable way to pay our debts.
Many students believe that the price increase in liquor would affect college students and drinking teens in a positive way also.
"I think it may cause college parties to sober up because the students are poor," Dressel said.
Some see that taking money from the Liquor Board's budget to fill the states leaking budget is unfair and agree that no change in price would stop people from drinking.
"People who were buying liquor before this law and would continue, to drink," student Tedodra Pascu said.
Student Easton Dressel believes that it is unfair to tax the liquor department heavily and sees it hurting people and the economy even further.
"Fair no, absolutely not because you are taxing one group more than another," he said. "I see it affecting the economy by causing more people to spend money on booze as they loose their jobs and they'll go broke and then you'll have these people on welfare and food stamps."
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