There's a new push for an increase in Wisconsin's beer tax, but don't count on it happening.
The Wisconsin State Journal is endorsing a increase in the tax on suds, saying "many responsible drinkers wouldn't even notice the tiny increase." Governor Jim Doyle says he doubts it will happen, and any increase would only be a modest one.
Still, Doyle says it's unlikely and much different than raising taxes on tobacco. The Governor wants to increase the tax on cigarettes by 75-cents a pack. He says beer, when used responsibly, can be a perfectly safe product. However, Doyle says there's no safe way to use tobacco, so there's more of an interest in reducing its use by increasing taxes on the product.
Wisconsin's beer tax hasn't been raised since 1969, making it the third lowest tax rate in the nation.