The Wisconsin District Attorney’s Association has increased efforts to raise Wisconsin’s beer and alcohol tax in hopes of raising funds to hire more prosecutors.
Currently, Wisconsin has the third lowest tax on beer and liquor in the nation behind Missouri and Wyoming. While Wisconsin taxes 6.5 cents per gallon of beer, neighboring states charge almost three times that amount.
This would be the first time in nearly 40 years that Wisconsin’s alcohol tax is increased.
The proposed tax increase would raise Wisconsin’s beer and liquor tax by almost 20 percent. This would add $10 million to $15 million on top of the current $50 million Wisconsin makes per year on the tax, which the association said is needed for Wisconsin’s legal system.
According to Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard, the tax increase is meant to reduce the negative effect that a lack of state funding has had on Wisconsin’s legal system.
“Since the state has taken over funding, they’ve failed to even come close to matching the population growth in terms of number of prosecutors,” Blanchard said. “What that’s meant is a decline in the quality of the work that the public can expect, judges can expect, that employees can expect and that victims can expect.”
Another supporter, Ralph Uttke, president of the WDAA and Langlade County district attorney, said the reason for the tax increase is the link between inebriation and criminal activity.
“As prosecutors, we understand that a large amount of our workload is directly related to the use and abuse of alcohol,” Uttke said.
Last month, a majority of Wisconsin’s district attorneys sent Gov. Jim Doyle and Department of Administration Secretary Michael Morgan letters in support of increased funding. Along with the letters, a number of other members of the legal system have also expressed support for the proposed tax increase.
Catherine White, president of the Association of State Prosecutors, said the increase was a practical way to increase funding for the state’s struggling legal system.
“We have a system that’s in crisis right now and we also have a state budget problem, so I think that it’s an elegant solution to the problem,” White said.
Although many lawyers and legislators support an increase in the tax, there are also many who strongly oppose the plan. Among those in opposition is the Tavern League, a group that represents alcohol servers and suppliers throughout the state of Wisconsin.
According to Pete Madland, executive director of the Tavern League of Wisconsin, the tax will have a negative effect on the state.
“Any time you raise taxes like this, it’s going to cost jobs,” Madland said.
Madland added the proposed tax hike would harm Wisconsin’s lower and middle classes, especially during Wisconsin’s current economic problems.
Despite strong opposition and Wisconsin’s history of low taxation on alcohol, supporters like Uttke and Blanchard remain optimistic about the proposal and the effect of increased funding on Wisconsin’s legal system.
“We have a history of not raising taxes on alcohol, but obviously all things have to change at some time,” Uttke said. “This is a proposal whose time has come.”
