Letter: Doubling sales tax on alcohol not a good idea

If the Legislature doubles the sales tax on alcohol, the border battles for bar, restaurant, and liquor store customers will only get worse for businesses on the Minnesota side.

With a significantly higher alcohol tax, the decision will be even easier for people going out for meals, drinks, or just picking up beer for a family gathering.

Putting it into perspective, without the proposed increase, Wisconsin’s beer tax is 81 percent lower than Minnesota’s, Iowa’s is 33 percent lower, North Dakota’s is 22 percent lower, and South Dakota’s is 20 percent lower.

Why do some legislators want to drive business out of Minnesota and help grow the unemployment rate? This regressive tax will cost people jobs. Why tax the hard working individual more?

I want to thank those representatives and senators that have thought this out and opposed the tax increase. I commend the job you are performing for all of us hard working Minnesotan’s who enjoy a nice cold beer after a hard day at work.

For those of you that supported the bill, here’s a novel idea, how about seeing where you can cut expenses like all hard working Minnesotan’s have had to do.

Mike Bamonti

Plymouth

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion, bamonti, alcohol, tax