Beer and Taxes

<editor's note>
From the Real Beer Page Mail……
</editor's note>

Uncle Sam wants half your beer, but the German Govt. says No Increase in Beer Taxes!

ALCOHOL INDUSTRY PUSHES FOR TAX CUTS
The alcoholic beverage industry is pressing Congress to lower the 
federal excise tax on beer, wine and liquor. The talk of federal cuts 
comes as several states consider raising sin taxes to help trim budget 
shortfalls. At least 15 states have considered raising alcoholic 
beverage taxes; of those, Alaska and Tennessee have approved increases. 
The beer lobby is portraying the beer tax as unfair to working-class 
Americans. A poster handed out on Capitol Hill features a pointing 
Uncle Sam declaring, "I want half your beer," and says taxes 
take about 44 cents of every dollar spent on beer. The poster promotes 
an Anheuser-Busch "Roll Back the Beer Tax" web site featuring profiles 
of "Joe and Jane Six-Pack: The Average American Beer Drinkers." "Beer 
is one of the simple pleasures of this group, a pleasure that most 
often is enjoyed - responsibly - at night, in the home. Lowering the 
beer tax means more money in the pockets of these young, hard-working 
men and women," the Web site states.
   http://www.rollbackthebeertax.org


GERMAN GOVERNMENT OPPOSES HIGHER BEER TAX
The German government is prepared to fight any efforts by the European 
Union to boost the cost of beer. European Internal Market Commissioner 
Frits Bolkestein wants to equalize taxes on beer and wine across the 
15-member bloc. By "harmonizing" prices, the EU hopes to reduce 
smuggling and fraud. In Germany, the proposal would involve raising the 
beer tax by an estimated 30 euro cents ($0.29) on each case. It would 
also mean introducing a duty on wine, which is currently not imposed in 
Germany. "There will be no increase in beer tax with us," said a 
spokesman for Finance Minister Hans Eichel.

Back to September 2002 front page