On October 13, 2009, Wisconsin will hold its first public hearing in 30 years on increasing the beer tax. The state last raised this tax (less than a penny a drink) in 1969, the same year that humans first walked on the moon. Wisconsin’s low beer tax has contributed to notorious alcohol-related problems. In 2006, Wisconsin had the highest rates of alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and heavy drinking among all U.S. states. However, all this may soon change.All-Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education (AWARE), a coalition of public health advocates, youth, law enforcement, and concerned citizens, has partnered with State Representative Terese Berceau (D-Madison) and State Senate President Fred Risser to combat alcohol-related harms that plague their state. Berceau authored Assembly Bill 287, which proposes to raise the beer tax by less than 3-cents per drink.
Where once it would have been considered vulgar to even discuss raising state alcohol taxes, 58 percent of Wisconsinites now favor a beer tax increase if part of the proceeds go to alcohol treatment and prevention and increased law enforcement.
AB 287 is unlikely to pass this legislative session due to enormous opposition from the Tavern League of Wisconsin, London-based SABMiller and Belgium beer behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev. However, the hearing itself is a significant symbolic victory. It signals that the Wisconsin legislature is ready to consider policy measures to generate revenue for alcohol prevention and treatment while significantly reducing underage drinking and alcohol-related harm.
The hearing is expected to generate several hours of testimony from supporters on both sides of the issue. While Wisconsin’s first public hearing in three decades on raising alcohol taxes may be a small step toward passing an alcohol tax this year, it is one giant leap toward passing a fair beer tax increase to reduce alcohol-related harm in the future.
