Restaurant group decries Ill. liquor tax hike
Chicago TribuneMay 23, 2009
An association representing 300 Illinois restaurants is urging Gov. Pat Quinn to reject a liquor tax increase to pay for statewide construction.
The American Beverage Institute says hiking taxes on alcohol would put additional strain on liquor distillers and sellers and put 4,500 people out of work.
The General Assembly would finance a $28 billion construction program in part with tax hikes of about 2.6 cents for a six-pack of beer, 13 cents on a bottle of wine and 80 cents on a fifth of liquor.
The increases would generate $113 million.
The American Beverage Institute says hiking taxes on alcohol would put additional strain on liquor distillers and sellers and put 4,500 people out of work.
The General Assembly would finance a $28 billion construction program in part with tax hikes of about 2.6 cents for a six-pack of beer, 13 cents on a bottle of wine and 80 cents on a fifth of liquor.
The increases would generate $113 million.
The beverage institute says one-third of all alcohol is consumed by people with incomes under $50,000 -- so the tax hurts lower-income taxpayers harder.
