Rep. Bill Deeken (R-Jefferson City), the main sponsor of the bill, said the measure would bring in up to $44 million each year to support alcohol and other drug treatment programs.

Under the bill, the excise tax on beer would increase from 6 cents a gallon to 24 cents a gallon, while the tax on wine would jump from 42 cents a gallon to 78 cents a gallon. In addition, the tax on distilled spirits would increase from $2 a gallon to $4 a gallon.

It has been decades since Missouri has seen an increase in its alcohol tax. In 1970, the state's beer tax was increased from 3 cents to the current 6 cents a gallon. But numerous attempts to raise liquor taxes in the past three decades have failed.

The bill, which is opposed by the liquor industry, including St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Cos., is currently being heard by the House Tax Policy Committee.

Rep. Shannon Cooper (R-Clinton Republican), head of the tax-policy committee, doesn't expect any movement on the bill with less than six weeks left in the legislative session.

"I see a lot more pressing issues," Cooper said. "I see very little support in the committee right now for this bill."

If the bill makes it out of committee and lawmakers approve it, the measure would go before voters in November.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Dr. Anonymous on 13 Apr 08 06:45 AM EDT

In 1989 I helped, along with many other researchers, and addictions professionals to get the "Nicotine Addiction Project" initiated in an attempt to determine what it took to reduce our national dependence on the use of tobacco products as a source of jobs and revenue that was a part of, at that time, an estimated $500 billion per year of our national Gross Domestic Product that could be tied to chemical dependencies and addictions. The researchers and other professionals had very substantial evidence that pharmacological and genetic cures were on their way and the increased speed availed them by developing technologies would soon spell the rapid demise of that huge multibillion per year amount of GDP. The "Nicotine Addiction Project" has worked well and now the "Beer, Wine and Spirits Consumption Project" is well under way. Let's see if that works equally well.

Posted by DAN R. GRAY, CASAC, NCAC-II, DOT/SAP, PAF on 13 Apr 08 06:21 AM EDT

Having over 40 years experience in dealing with alcohol problems, and as a Professional Addictions Counselor, Consultant and Futurist, the beer wine and spirits industry really needs to accept the tax proposal. If they do not show that they are ready to accept that up to 80% of their product goes to heavy drinkers and underage drinkers (something that they are well aware of but have no real control over) and those are the folks that need this tax to help them find sobriety through our state's developing EVIDENCE BASED treatment programs, they may as well get ready for the direct shots that will come from the multitude of organizations and professionals that will hit their target dead on. We have the technological ammo and it is currently being used. As a Professional Addictions Futurist, I am projecting the years of 2020 to 2025 for the direct use of gentic cures for alcoholism and other chemical addictions. Prior to that, we are currently putting into use the neuropsychopharmacological medications and genetic engineering factors that will directly affect the current level of excessive use of alcohol containing beverages.

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