It's time to get out that old-fashioned pen and paper and write your maggot politician.... oops! I mean your senators and representatives. This is serious, folks.
Source:
http://beeradvocate.com/news/2084374
he following is a National Action Alert from the Brewers Association. Many of you are already following this issue, and perhaps even taken action via the Beer Institute's call to action, however we urge you to read this update to the issues and take immediate action if you agree.
***
Proposed Increase of Federal Excise Tax a Serious Threat to Small Brewers and Your Beer Choice - Contact Your Senators Now
Dear Beer Enthusiast,
Small brewers are facing an imminent and extremely serious threat to their businesses. The consequences of remaining silent have the very real potential of reducing your choice of beer and dramatically increasing the price of any beer that you purchase.
The Senate Finance Committee in Washington, DC is currently considering a proposal to increase and equalize the excise tax for alcohol beverages as part of healthcare reform deliberations. This proposal would triple the excise tax for 4.5% ABV beer and impose even higher excise tax rates for higher ABV beers.
If such a proposal becomes reality, there is no question that many small brewery businesses will suffer, some will close and consumers will face higher prices and diminished choice in the marketplace.
The Brewers Association brewery members and leadership have been actively engaged in building the case against an excise tax increase, recently submitting a letter ( http://www.beertown.org/craftbrewi ... Reform.pdf ) to the Committee outlining our opposition.
We need you to speak out now. Today or tomorrow at the latest.
If you live in the following states it is most urgent that you contact your Senator who is on the Senate Finance Committee:
Arizona
Arkansas
Delaware
Florida
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montana
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Oregon
Texas
Utah
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming
If your Senators are not members of that committee, ask them to contact their Finance Committee colleagues and express their opposition to this proposal moving forward.
Your ask of them is simple:
Oppose the Tax Increase. Let them know that you oppose, in the strongest possible terms, raising the federal excise tax on beer because of the serious consequences it would have on small brewers and the craft beer they brew. Additional talking points appear below.
Once again: If one of your Senators sits on the Senate Finance Committee (roster of members below), urge them to oppose this proposal in committee deliberations.
If your Senators are not members of that committee, ask them to contact their Finance Committee colleagues and express their opposition to this proposal moving forward.
Take Action - Call and/or email your Senators' Washington or district offices ( http://www.senate.gov/general/cont ... rs_cfm.cfm ) and make your personal case against this massive excise tax increase.
Senate Finance Committee Members:
Baucus, Max (MT), Chairman
Bingaman, Jeff (NM)
Bunning, Jim (KY)
Cantwell, Maria (WA)
Carper, Thomas R. (DE)
Conrad , Kent (ND)
Cornyn, John (TX)
Crapo, Mike (ID)
Ensign, John (NV)
Enzi, Michael B. (WY)
Grassley, Chuck (IA), Ranking Member
Hatch, Orrin G. (UT)
Kerry, John F. (MA)
Kyl, Jon (AZ)
Lincoln, Blanche L. (AR)
Menendez, Robert (NJ)
Nelson, Bill (FL)
Roberts, Pat (KS)
Rockefeller, John D. (WV)
Schumer, Charles E. (NY)
Snowe, Olympia J. (ME)
Stabenow, Debbie (MI)
Wyden, Ron (OR)
ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO SMALL BREWERS - EXCISE TAXES
Small brewers are small Main street businesses, typically employing 10 to 50 employees.
* Small brewers represent only 4% of the entire U.S. beer market by volume, with 95% of them being very small businesses (producing 15,000 barrels or less per year).
We strongly oppose proposals to increase the excise tax on beer.
* Proposals to increase and equalize the tax among all types of alcohol will tax small brewers at the highest rates because their specialty, gourmet and innovative beers typically have higher alcohol contents.
* Brewers already pay a disproportionately higher share of taxes compared with other products - federal, state and local taxes represent over 40% of the retail price for beer while the same taxes equal nearly 24% of the price for all other purchases.
Higher taxes will worsen the economic recession - resulting in less competitive products, reduced sales and revenues, lost jobs and, for some small brewers, business closures.
* $1 per case excise tax increase will typically cost the consumer at least $1.69 due to successive mark-ups as the case moves from brewer to wholesaler to retailer.
* Many small brewers are struggling to deal with the consequences of the 2008 spike in ingredient and operational costs.
Source: http://www.beertown.org
###
Todd
Founder & Chief Executive Advocate
BeerAdvocate
Source:
http://beeradvocate.com/news/2084374
he following is a National Action Alert from the Brewers Association. Many of you are already following this issue, and perhaps even taken action via the Beer Institute's call to action, however we urge you to read this update to the issues and take immediate action if you agree.
***
Proposed Increase of Federal Excise Tax a Serious Threat to Small Brewers and Your Beer Choice - Contact Your Senators Now
Dear Beer Enthusiast,
Small brewers are facing an imminent and extremely serious threat to their businesses. The consequences of remaining silent have the very real potential of reducing your choice of beer and dramatically increasing the price of any beer that you purchase.
The Senate Finance Committee in Washington, DC is currently considering a proposal to increase and equalize the excise tax for alcohol beverages as part of healthcare reform deliberations. This proposal would triple the excise tax for 4.5% ABV beer and impose even higher excise tax rates for higher ABV beers.
If such a proposal becomes reality, there is no question that many small brewery businesses will suffer, some will close and consumers will face higher prices and diminished choice in the marketplace.
The Brewers Association brewery members and leadership have been actively engaged in building the case against an excise tax increase, recently submitting a letter ( http://www.beertown.org/craftbrewi ... Reform.pdf ) to the Committee outlining our opposition.
We need you to speak out now. Today or tomorrow at the latest.
If you live in the following states it is most urgent that you contact your Senator who is on the Senate Finance Committee:
Arizona
Arkansas
Delaware
Florida
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montana
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Oregon
Texas
Utah
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming
If your Senators are not members of that committee, ask them to contact their Finance Committee colleagues and express their opposition to this proposal moving forward.
Your ask of them is simple:
Oppose the Tax Increase. Let them know that you oppose, in the strongest possible terms, raising the federal excise tax on beer because of the serious consequences it would have on small brewers and the craft beer they brew. Additional talking points appear below.
Once again: If one of your Senators sits on the Senate Finance Committee (roster of members below), urge them to oppose this proposal in committee deliberations.
If your Senators are not members of that committee, ask them to contact their Finance Committee colleagues and express their opposition to this proposal moving forward.
Take Action - Call and/or email your Senators' Washington or district offices ( http://www.senate.gov/general/cont ... rs_cfm.cfm ) and make your personal case against this massive excise tax increase.
Senate Finance Committee Members:
Baucus, Max (MT), Chairman
Bingaman, Jeff (NM)
Bunning, Jim (KY)
Cantwell, Maria (WA)
Carper, Thomas R. (DE)
Conrad , Kent (ND)
Cornyn, John (TX)
Crapo, Mike (ID)
Ensign, John (NV)
Enzi, Michael B. (WY)
Grassley, Chuck (IA), Ranking Member
Hatch, Orrin G. (UT)
Kerry, John F. (MA)
Kyl, Jon (AZ)
Lincoln, Blanche L. (AR)
Menendez, Robert (NJ)
Nelson, Bill (FL)
Roberts, Pat (KS)
Rockefeller, John D. (WV)
Schumer, Charles E. (NY)
Snowe, Olympia J. (ME)
Stabenow, Debbie (MI)
Wyden, Ron (OR)
ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO SMALL BREWERS - EXCISE TAXES
Small brewers are small Main street businesses, typically employing 10 to 50 employees.
* Small brewers represent only 4% of the entire U.S. beer market by volume, with 95% of them being very small businesses (producing 15,000 barrels or less per year).
We strongly oppose proposals to increase the excise tax on beer.
* Proposals to increase and equalize the tax among all types of alcohol will tax small brewers at the highest rates because their specialty, gourmet and innovative beers typically have higher alcohol contents.
* Brewers already pay a disproportionately higher share of taxes compared with other products - federal, state and local taxes represent over 40% of the retail price for beer while the same taxes equal nearly 24% of the price for all other purchases.
Higher taxes will worsen the economic recession - resulting in less competitive products, reduced sales and revenues, lost jobs and, for some small brewers, business closures.
* $1 per case excise tax increase will typically cost the consumer at least $1.69 due to successive mark-ups as the case moves from brewer to wholesaler to retailer.
* Many small brewers are struggling to deal with the consequences of the 2008 spike in ingredient and operational costs.
Source: http://www.beertown.org
###
Todd
Founder & Chief Executive Advocate
BeerAdvocate
