Beer Tax Falls Short

After a public hearing on Monday, the Health and Human Resources Committee met yesterday to discuss the possibility of raising the tax on beer in WV. The increase revenue from the tax was to go toward funding substance abuse programs across the state. The committee ultimately decided that it would pass a different bill which would allow these programs to be funded by a state Medicaid reserve fund and other sources chosen by the legislature rather than from a tax on beer. Currently, the Medicaid reserve contains almost $350 million.

Possible Tax Increase on Cigarettes

A bill has recently been introduced in the WV House of Delegates that could raise taxes on cigarettes, beer, and smokeless tobacco. If passed, House Bill 2681 would eliminate the consumer sales and service tax on food and shift the nearly 70 million dollars generated from the food tax to the luxury products previously mentioned. Under this proposal, the tax on nonintoxicating beer would go up from $5.50 per barrel to $6.35, the cigarette tax would rise from $0.55 to $1.35 per pack, and smokeless tobacco would go from seven percent to fourteen percent.

A separate bill that would increase the beer tax has been circulating throughout the House. A public hearing will be held this evening to further discuss the beer tax amendment.

WV Beer Tax Public Hearing Scheduled

The beer tax has been a topic of much debate this past month in WV. Governor Joe Manchin has said he is willing to sign a bill if lawmakers can get one passed. A bill that was introduced earlier this week was discussed yesterday in the Health and Human Resources Committee. It proposes that the beer tax rise from $5.50 per barrel to $19.25. The money from this hike will go toward substance abuse prevention funding for the state. It is estimated that nearly 20 million dollars will go toward the program. A public hearing will be held on Monday. If you have any questions about the tax, or if you would like to show your support for it, contact your local house or senate finance committee representative. Click here to review the Substance Abuse Prevention Act. And for more information on existing substance abuse bills visit the WV Legislature website.

Beer Tax Increase May Become Reality

The drumbeat is getting louder in Charleston for raising the beer tax to fund substance abuse programs.

WSAZ-TV reported Tuesday that the proposal -- which is in two bills before the Legislature -- is receiving bipartisan support. One bill would increase the tax on beer by 1 cent a can/bottle; another would raise it by 4 cents can/bottle.

"I think there are a lot of members [in the House] and in the Senate that understand alcohol and drug abuse effects everyone," Delegate Nancy Guthrie, D-Kanawha, told WSAZ. "Friends, neighbors, loved ones. If we don't have the money to help those folks, then it becomes a criminal problem in many cases."

Outreach Training Planned March 11-12

Second Chance Outreach Community Trainings will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 11-12 at the Valley Healthcare Center, 301 Scott Ave., Morgantown.

The Second Chance Outreach Program is a self-help, peer-to-peer recovery effort based on personal innate mental health, and understanding The Three Principles (as defined by Sydney Banks) of how individuals function psychologically. Preliminary results from Florida show it is a promising approach for adults in recovery. This training can not only impact your work, and how you interact with clients, but can also help you avoid burnout and find personal peace of mind. For more about the Cypress Initiative, please see here.

The event is approved for up to 12 CEUs for Addiction/Prevention, Counseling, CHES, Nursing and Social Work.

The cost for the training is $35 and includes all training materials. Please register in advance by calling Brenda Richards at (304) 766-6301 ext. 33 or email richardsb@marshall.edu.