State Beer Taxes Going Up!

Here's just the facts on beer taxes-

Oregon law makers want to raise the beer tax from $2.60 per barrel to $49.61 which is an 1,800% increase. That will cost beer drinkers 15 cents more per 12-ounce glass but the beer industry says it would more likely be $1.50 per glass.

Idaho's plan to raise the tax on beer from 15 to 52 cents as well as the tax on wine has passed its initial committee review.

New York Governor David Patterson wants to raise the state tax on beer from 11 cents to 24 cents per gallon. Now there is speculation that Anheuser-Busch would close its Lysander brewery if this goes through.

A total of 24 states are considering higher alcohol taxes.

Here's some info on the flip side:

Wisconsin's beer tax hasn't gone up there in 40 years and will stay that way. There is no talk of increasing it's beer tax.

Missouri beer drinkers also seem safe for an increase.

Wyoming has the lowest beer tax of all the states.

The beer industry is lobbying for a reduction in the federal beer tax, jumping on the "stimulus" bandwagon.

In Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Texas, Alabama and Minnesota, the "blue laws" that ban the sale of alcohol on Sunday might be dropped.

A Nebraska legislator suggested that tourism could increase in his state if people could legally drink beer in state parks. Of course, public drunkeness in state parks will increase , too.

Utah is contemplating changing its unique liquor laws by dropping the "club" system in bars.