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News Release 06/09/10  From Minnesota to Massachusetts, people are speaking up about the benefits of raising alcohol taxes. It's a sign of the times as local and state governments struggle to balance their budgets -- and more people look to alcohol tax increases to reduce drinking problems and shore up revenues for law enforcement and prevention programs. In Minnesota, the Star Tribune recently published an opinion column about raising alcohol taxes by Stephen Simon, professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and director of the Minnesota Criminal Justice System DWI Task Force. In the column, Professor Simon and research assistant Chelsea Becker outlined a compelling list of reasons for raising alcohol taxes in the state:
In Massachusetts, the alcohol industry is pushing for a ballot initiative this fall to repeal alcohol tax increases that are already in place, but people are speaking out against the idea. A guest opinion article by Vic DiGravio and Maryanne Frangules was published recently in various print and online media outlets, describing the continued impact of underage drinking in Massachusetts. The column also explained that the retail sales tax on alcohol brings in more than $110 million in badly needed revenue to fund treatment and prevention programs. Letters to the editor and opinion columns like these in Massachusetts and Minnesota are an effective way to influence public opinion and fight back against the well-funded public relations strategies of the alcohol industry. For additional information and sample letters to the editor, go to http://www.cspinet.org/booze/NAS_Letter_Editor.htm. Sources: |
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