Lines drawn in beverage tax showdown
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Lines drawn in beverage tax showdown
by submarinepainter on Fri May 23, 2008 1:54 am
Business groups hope to repeal the law; health-care advocates say the money will do a lot of good.
By KEVIN WACK, Staff Writer May 22, 2008
But they did not have the stage to themselves. Also on hand were health-care advocates who say that eliminating the taxes would jeopardize health care for thousands of Maine residents.
At issue is a law -- signed last month by Gov. John Baldacci -- that roughly doubles taxes on sales of certain beers and wines, and adds a new tax on syrup used to make soft drinks. The taxes are expected to generate around $20 million per year, most of which would be used to fund the state's Dirigo Health program, an effort to expand access to health insurance.
The group of businesses seeking to repeal the wholesale taxes is called Fed Up With Taxes. Billed as a bipartisan group, its members include the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association.
"Maine people already pay some of the highest taxes in the country," Newell Augur, the group's director, said during the news conference outside David's Restaurant in Monument Square.
"This is absolutely the worst time to ask Maine people to pay even more."
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=189252&ac=PHnws
Taxes Suck Governor !!
By KEVIN WACK, Staff Writer May 22, 2008
But they did not have the stage to themselves. Also on hand were health-care advocates who say that eliminating the taxes would jeopardize health care for thousands of Maine residents.
At issue is a law -- signed last month by Gov. John Baldacci -- that roughly doubles taxes on sales of certain beers and wines, and adds a new tax on syrup used to make soft drinks. The taxes are expected to generate around $20 million per year, most of which would be used to fund the state's Dirigo Health program, an effort to expand access to health insurance.
The group of businesses seeking to repeal the wholesale taxes is called Fed Up With Taxes. Billed as a bipartisan group, its members include the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association.
"Maine people already pay some of the highest taxes in the country," Newell Augur, the group's director, said during the news conference outside David's Restaurant in Monument Square.
"This is absolutely the worst time to ask Maine people to pay even more."
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=189252&ac=PHnws
Taxes Suck Governor !!
Aint but three things in this world thats worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine.
Tom T. Hall
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine.
Tom T. Hall
submarinepainter- Sharpshooter
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