House GOP Leader Mike Turzai is back with yet another plan to dismantle the PA Liquor Control Board...
...AND put 5,000 Pennsylvanians on the unemployment line.
Unfortunately for Turzai and the privateers, House Bill 11, Version 3.0, is no better than the most recent version that was overwhelmingly rejected by his House colleagues.
Under the 3.0 version,
Pennsylvania would have the highest gallonage tax on wine in the nation.
In fact, Pennsylvania's wine tax would be $3 higher than the next state!
Pennsylvania would have the third highest tax rate on spirits in the nation as well.
Turzai has increased the number of licenses he wants to auction off from 650 to 1,250 and now, finally, to 1,600. BUT he also concedes, once and for all, that an auction would generate $500 million to $750 million instead of the $2 billion - even as high as $8 billion - he originally insisted would be generated.
To put it very directly: Turzai has added 1,000 licenses and lost $1.5 billion or so along the way. What gives?
Remember, the current system generates $530 million EVERY YEAR in taxes and profit for the state.
 It makes no sense to dismantle this valuable asset so that out-of-state corporate interests can cash in.
To read more about Mike Turzai's latest scheme, click here. |