The Bitters: Oregon Proposes a 1900% Tax Increase in Beer

This would be enough to get reach for a stiff drink . . . if it weren’t prohibitively expensive. Oregon legislators are proposing a 1900% tax increase so voters not only have to face the economic crisis but do it without beer.

Oregon House Bill 2461, which would impose a $49.61 tax on each barrel of beer produced by Oregon brewers.

The money would go to fund prevention, treatment and recovery programs for those addicted to alcohol and other substances. The increase is meant to fill a $4.15 billion shortfall — the equivalent of roughly four days that we spend on the war effort.

Legislators trying to fill budget gaps across the country can also rely on recent studies showing a correlation between tax increases and sobriety.
. Yet, there has been no study on the political impact of when people finally sober up and realize how legislators in Congress and the states have fouled up the economy. Fortunately, scientists are now working on a pill to erase bad memories.

The tax plan could prove devastating to Oregon’s native beer makers, forcing some to leave the state.

For now, you will at least know the answer to what ales you in Oregon and other states.

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