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Stacia Murphy, President National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence |
George A. Hacker, Director Alcohol Policies Project Center for Science in the Public Interest |
Coalition for the Prevention of Alcohol Problems
1875 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 300
Washington, DC 20009
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CPAP Letter Sent to all Members of Congress:
REJECT ALCOHOLIC-BEVERAGE TAX CUTS
January 17, 2003
Senator/Representative
Washington, DC
Dear Senator/Representative;
As a coalition of organizations concerned with public health, fiscal responsibility, and the well being of young people and families, we strongly oppose any reduction in federal excise taxes on alcoholic beverages. We urge you to reject alcoholic-beverage industry appeals to include such cuts in any new tax proposals under consideration in the 108th Congress, and to refrain from co-sponsoring any legislation that would reduce alcohol taxes.
Reducing federal excise taxes on beer, liquor, and wine is bad fiscal and public health policy, which would only add to budget deficits and threaten the health and safety of Americans: Cheaper alcohol would contribute to increased underage and heavy drinking.
Lower alcohol taxes would rob the treasury at a time of rising deficits only to unnecessarily benefit an already thriving industry.
Federal excise taxes on alcoholic beverages are low by international standards and lag far behind inflation.
Current federal and state taxes on alcoholic beverages don’t come close to offsetting the public health and safety costs of alcohol consumption. If anything, beer and liquor taxes should be raised to help meet prevention, treatment, law enforcement, and other costs associated with excessive and underage drinking.
By wide margins, the American public supports increases – not decreases – in alcohol taxes. That’s because more than 35% don’t drink at all and among those who do, most drink so little that they would barely notice a tax decrease (or increase). Alcohol tax cuts would benefit only producers and the 20% of drinkers who consume 85% of the alcohol.
Lower alcohol taxes would only add to the deficit, cater to a prosperous industry, reward and encourage heavy drinking, and attract more young drinkers. Please reject industry appeals to lower federal excise taxes on alcoholic beverages.
Sincerely,
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Stacia Murphy, President National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence |
George A. Hacker, Director Alcohol Policies Project Center for Science in the Public Interest |
On behalf of:
LIST OF CO-SIGNERS
OPPOSING REDUCTIONS IN FEDERAL EXCISE TAXES ON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Alcohol Policy Network (Berkeley, CA)
American College of Preventive Medicine
American Public Health Association
American School Health Association
California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources
California Council on Alcohol Policy
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America/Drug-Free Kids Campaign
Consumer Federation of America
General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
LGBT Coalition (Ventura City, CA)
Montgomery Country Public Schools Safe and Drug-Free Schools Advisory Council
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Families in Action
National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention
New Futures (Portsmouth, NH)
New Mexico Alcohol Issues Consortium
North City Prevention Coalition (San Diego, CA)
Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth
Pennsylvanians Concerned About Alcohol Problems (Harrisburg, PA)
The Honorable William Hathaway, former U.S. Senator
San Diego Youth Council
San Diego County Policy Panel on Youth Access to Alcohol
Security on Campus, Inc.
Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
Urban Family Council (Philadelphia, PA/New York, NY)
Ventura County Rainbow Alliance (Ventura, CA)
Women’s Christian Temperance Union
Youth Leadership Institute
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