Despite the fact that the Minnesota legislature didn't raise taxes on beer, wine and liquor, Senator Dave Brown is pretty worked about that.
The Sherbourne County Citizen's David Hannula reports in Area legislator disappointed in latest session:
. . . Brown also sees potential problems with the new “fourth tier” of taxes imposed on the wealthiest Minnesotans, who will always have the option of simply leaving the state. Massive new taxes on beer and wine and cigarettes will only encourage residents to go to other states to purchase these items, or encourage a black market harkening back to the days of prohibition when the government tried unsuccessfully to prevent consumption of alcohol. They will also take more money away from families, especially hitting the lower income residents, Brown said.
It's true that taxes on cigarettes were raised $1.60 per pack, but DFLers in the Minnesota Senate didn't seek to raise taxes on alcohol (that was in the House version). At the Pioneer Press, Bill Salisbury, Doug Belden and Megan Boldt report in Minnesota Legislature 2013: What got done and what didn't:
Not done: . . .Beer, wine and liquor taxes will not increase.
As for those wealthy tax refugees, check out our earlier posts on this standard issue MNGOP assertion: Fables of the reconstruction: New Ulm Journal fact-checks Republican tax flight talking point and Grumpy cats complain to MN public radio about taxes but not really running away from home.
Perhaps Brown should stick to combatting his blue-helmetted arch foe, Agenda 21, proposing legislation like SF325. Back in February, we noted in Stanley Hubbard vs the nutters? Not so fast Politico: look at MN giving suggests other story:
Brown introduced SF325 today, a "United Nations Agenda 21 private property rights restrictions implementation prohibition" bill. It bans any sustainable development anywhere, anyhow, in the state if anyone, anyhow can trace the language back to Agenda 21.
. . .Flying Asian carp and zebra mussels will breathe a collective sigh of relief, since "invasive species" is on Glenn Beck's list of tell-tale Agenda 21 keyword list.
But at least Brown won't have to fear the next Al Capone, slouching toward Becker, waiting to be born.
Photo: Since the legislature didn't raise taxes on moonshine, Senator Brown won't have to fear new Prohibition-style gangsters supplying beer at local graduation parties.
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The DFL did not raise taxes on booze as a gesture of good will to the Republicans. With all of the Republican marriages now creaking and set to break up on August 1, the DFL had to keep down the price of booze to help them through that crisis.
Posted by: T Pa or Coffee | Jun 12, 2013 at 04:31 PM