EOB: Booze Tax Hike Bill Fills Room

It’s standing-room only at the hearing this morning on legislation to raise Idaho’s beer and wine taxes - unchanged for the past four decades - to fund substance abuse treatment. “This increase is pocket change for the vast majority of responsible drinkers,” sponsor Keith Allred of The Common Interest told the House Revenue & Taxation Committee. Though the taxes would more than triple, the increase would be less than a dollar a month for a beer drinker who buys a six-pack a week, he said/ Betsy Russell , Eye On Boise. More here .

• Stimulus bill 407 pages long
• ‘It’s pretty restrictive’

Question: Do you care whether the Legislature hikes taxes on beer and wine to fund substance abuse programs?