States Eye Higher Taxes on Beer, Wine, and Liquor

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You can't make the world perfect. Sure, drunk drivers get in accidents. So do drowsy drivers, drivers who haven't taken their medication, old people, people who left their glasses at home, etc. Do we tax them, too? This has nothing to do with lashing out at drunk drivers. How many people drink and DON'T drive drunk? 95%? More? Yet, 100% of people who like a cold beer have to pay this tax? Come on. It's just another avenue for government to raise taxes to perpetuate their spending because they don't want to cut spending. The people making cuts have to make tough decisions; decisions that can cost them future elections. Most government workers are administrators. There are three administrators for every productive worker. Their job is simply to justify their existence as an administrator. Our legislature? Administrators. The majority of personnel cost for school districts? Administrators. When the new president of Cal State University Sacramento started his tenure, the first thing they did was perform at $250K remodel on his office. Meanwhile, the computers in the tech labs are all five years old and out of date. This tax hike proposal serves only ONE purpose: to keep feeding the spend-happy do nothings that run our state government. At some point we are going to have to say "there isn't any money left". We need to recognize that NOW, before the proverbial you know what REALLY hits the fan.

James of CA 1:55PM April 07, 2010

Alcohol is a drug. It is not a medicinal drug nor is it an illegal drug however it is clearly known for its ability to alter the human body and mind with negative repercussions. According to the Alcohol-Related Harm and Damage Services Act of 2010, every hour in California one person dies due to alcohol use and there are 533 incidents of violent crime, that’s every hour in California! Ryan N M

Ryan N M of CA 5:38PM March 08, 2010

Cat of CA, stop acting stupid. Just because you don't drink or smoke doesn't mean your opinion is correct. i don't smoke, but I know friends who do, and if that's what they wanna do, then fine. That's not a problem for me. I do drink, and some of us like to do that, and i don't think there's anything wrong with that. If they said they were gonna jack car insurance rates for you by 400 percent, or something similar, I'm sure you would be complaining. There's nothing wrong with drinking. Some people like to, and are angry because the government is trying to make it more expensive. Why is it so ok to tax liquor above everything else? Why is it so bad? Let me know. You don't understand, obviously.

JSC of CA 8:46PM September 09, 2009

HAVE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!
Taking action is easy and won't take much of your time, but it will make a giant difference: CLICK THE LINK http://www.axetaxesnotjobs.com/ and fill out the form to join the fight against irresponsible and regressive taxes.
"This will cost jobs in our industry— including those of small business owners, servers and bartenders like you who are the lifeblood of our economy. We need your personal involvement and help“
Thank you

ShareYourVoice of NY 2:50PM April 03, 2009

I don't see what the big deal would be to tax alcohol or cigarettes. They are luxury items, and it's not like people should be stocking up on liquor and cigarettes during hard economic times anyway (it's all ready expensive and probably not good for your health. Maybe you people should go put that money in a savings account.)
I think it's funny that people get so heated over substances. Maybe that passion should be put elsewhere where it can really help the economy.
In closing... stop voting this down.

Cat of CA 7:40PM February 10, 2009

When the politians need money they tax items they consider "Sinful". Liquor and Tabacco. This has been going on since the beginning of time. We do not have politians with the intestinal fortitude to fix the problems.
If they got control of drugs and taxed them and now that SF wants to legalize sex for sale they could balance the budget.
I think it is time to toss out the whole bunch, Barbara Boxer, Diane Finestien and Nancy P.
The state leaders are not leaders but the best money can buy.
Time for a new crew to row the ship.

Brian Hogue of CA 6:54PM December 24, 2008

I'd much rather see states modernizing their laws to increase revenue rather than raising taxes. Especially alcohol taxes which are already to high!

Jen B. of VA 9:20AM December 22, 2008

imagine prohibition on alcohol instead of prohibition on marijuana. it's wrong for him to consider people like me criminals we just choose to smoke marijuana instead of drinking booze.The trade in marijuana should be taxed and it's use should not be a reason for jail.

darral good of 12:27PM December 19, 2008