Please voice your support of Wisconsin’s small breweries – no new beer tax!

Renowned beer author Lucy Saunders posts this eloquent plea against injustice:

On Tuesday, October 13th at 10am, there will be a hearing at the State Capitol in Madison regarding Wisconsin Assembly Bill 287. This bill increases the tax on a barrel of beer from $2 to $10. The bill states that the 400% increase in taxes will fund drunk driving law enforcement and alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs. It does not address the effect on the consumer, loss of jobs (at breweries, suppliers, taverns, stores), nor does it justify why punishing the majority is good for the minority.



The language used in presenting this bill is, as Kirby Nelson of Capital Brewery points out, very shaming: “the people trying to make this happen are considering changing this from a “tax” to an “impact fee”. They want to emphasize that it is needed to offset the “harm done by beer”. I find it insulting to imply that the millions upon millions of us who enjoy beer are a menace to society and need to pay more to offset our havoc causing ways. This type of mentality cannot go unchallenged.”

Lucy's article (read the whole thing here) encourages Wisconsin residents to contact their state representatives with their thoughts, and to join in a rally outside the capitol building at 9:00am on October 13.