A tab of more than 70 million a year is what it will cost to enforce tougher Wisconsin drunk driving laws, some five time more than originally thought. Some lawmakers are pushing a higher liquor tax to pay for it.
The state’s liquor tax would increase by 50 cents a pint under a plan approved Tuesday in the State Senate Judiciary Committee. This extra cost is going to be passed onto consumers.
A report shows the tougher drunk driving law that passed the assembly would cost about 70 million dollars a year to enforce, because of increased court and prison costs.
Before a similar version gets through the senate, there is the question of how to pay for it. State Senator Lena Taylor says, “doing something and not funding it is irresponsible.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a 58% liquor tax increase. That means if the plan passes the full legislature and signed by the governor, the current 85 cent tax on a liter bottle of liquor would increase to $1.35 a liter.
Guy Rehorst owns the Milwaukee Distillery that produces Rehorst Vodka. He says the tax increase would be bad for business. He says a better way to raise revenue is higher fines for those convicted of drunk driving.
Republican State Senator Alberta Darling says she strongly supports the tougher drunk driving law, but says the state should pay for it with existing alcohol taxes, not new ones. Darling said, “I don’t see why we should increase the tax, we already have tax on beer and wine. We should take those revenues and use it to pay for new strong drunken driving legislation.”
Democratic State Senator Lena Taylor says the increase is necessary. She says, “We had to find a revenue, so what did we do? We did it on booze. Booze is what causes you to drive drunk.”
