HB 2461 itself cites several points for the increase in taxes, many of which seem to be intentionally misleading. HB 2461 states “Whereas alcohol use by Oregon’s eighth graders is 76 percent higher than the national average”, and “Whereas on average, half of the students in every 11th grade classroom in Oregon drink”, but according to the US Census Bureau, 18.43% of Oregon children between the ages of 12 and 17 have consumed alcohol in the past month while the national average is at 16.58%. This number is definitely not 76% higher than the national average, does not constitute a 50% rate of alcohol consumption, and Oregon currently has 13 states ranking higher in this category. Oregon ranks 34th in the nation for percent of people, age 12 and older, who have participated in binge alcohol use. For a state known for brewing beer, one might think the binge rate would be higher. The information offered in HB 2461 has been misinterpreted for the purpose of this bill.

“Whereas raising the malt beverage tax and indexing those taxes to the Consumer Price Index to keep pace with inflation is imperative to protecting Oregon’s citizens” is another point cited by the writers of HB2461. The current Oregon excise tax is about $0.084 per gallon, which ranks Oregon one of the lowest in the US. After the proposed increase, Oregon excise tax will reach slightly over $1.684 per gallon; the highest in the country except for Alaska. Using an inflation calculator provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in accordance with inflation, the new excise tax should be positioned at $.30 per gallon. The writers of HB 2461 need to take a look at their numbers again (US Bureau Of Labor Statistics).

Raising taxes is a natural occurrence, but to such a degree is ridiculous. The proposed increase in taxes will go towards recovering and preventing alcoholism and drug use. According to the US Census Bureau, Oregon ranks the 10th lowest in the nation with an estimated 6.81% of individuals, aged 12 and older who are alcohol dependents or abuse alcohol. According to those who drafted HB 2461, “treatment capacity is so low that less than 25 percent of Oregon adults and only two percent of Oregon youth who need substance abuse services receive the help they need”. These stats sound pretty bleak, but there is good news for alcohol abusers. The US Census Bureau states that only 6.60% of individuals in Oregon are “Needing But Not Receiving Treatment for Alcohol Use in Past Year”. So how is there such a drastic discrepancy between this data? Could it be that those who drafted HB 2461 twisted information drastically to promote their tax?

I concede that alcoholism is a problem in this country, and I applaud our collective effort to reduce this issue. Coming from a family that has an exceptionally long standing history of alcoholism, I can say that I understand this issue. I wish that we could help alcoholics and drug addicts, but not in this fashion. Alcohol treatment does not work for most people. A ten year study, reported by the Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions (CASAA), states that only 15.2% of alcoholics receiving treatment have abstained from drinking. To compound the issue, “Post hoc investigation showed that 55% of those clients abstinent at 1-year also reporting abstinence at 3-years. Only 19% of clients drinking in year 1 reported abstinence at the 3-year interview” (Maisto, S.). We are stealing money from those who earn it, and giving it to a system that does not work short term or long term.

If the tax is too low, then by all means increase it. Just remember aphrase I recall my grandfather using – “Softly, softly. That catches the monkey”. Such a huge hike is bound to send people packing back to cheaper (and sadly, poorer) beers, and we’ll all lose.

I find it immoral to tax citizens so heavily. A priviledge of Roman citizenship in the ancient empire was freedom from taxation…outsiders (those in the colony and precepts), instead, were taxed, as was international trade.

We stand something to learn here.

Irony predicts the revenue would pay for the welfare check of some idle handed moocher who would use the money to by Mickey’s or Boone’s Farm…

Great article. If I lived anywhere near Oregon, I’d have been there.

I saw this in a university of Vermont study and had to laugh out loud:
“The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a $0.20 state tax increase per six-pack of beer could reduce U.S. gonorrhea rates by almost 9 percent.”