The Wisconsin District Attorney Association recently proposed a marginal tax increase on both liquor and beer as part of a resolution to hire and sustain more local prosecutors.
In the last decade, there has been a very low retention rate among prosecutors, leaving the remaining ones overloaded with casework. An influx of money would undoubtedly improve the status quo, yet that holds true for nearly every bureau and office in the state, especially in the current cash-strapped economy.
The tax itself is an acceptable measure; Wisconsin currently has one of the nation's lowest alcohol taxes and could stand a small tax increase such as the one proposed. The tax is small enough that mere pocket change could accommodate the price increase. Although the exact number for the increase has yet to be defined, one gallon of beer is accompanied by a 6.5 cent tax. Bring that up 20 percent to nearly eight cents, and you have what could amount to millions of dollars in revenue.
In a time when any revenue is gasoline to Wisconsin's empty tank, there should be more to gain than hiring over 100 more prosecutors and raising others' salaries.
Considering the amount of revenue this tax increase would provide, and the crisis Wisconsin is facing with drunk driving, much can be accomplished with this new tax increase, in addition to helping the state's prosecutors.
There have been few successful initiatives to curb drunk driving in Wisconsin, and using an increase in the alcohol tax to initiate drunk-driving programs is more than reasonable. Rep. Tony Staskunas, D-West Allis, proposed a mandate on ignition interlocks for DUI offenders; buttressing this proposal with money from a small alcohol tax increase makes the plan more realistic.
The Tavern League of Wisconsin, a strong lobby group, will undoubtedly oppose the tax increase, but state legislators should think in the best interests of the state - not to mention the tax is small enough to be considered negligible to the constituency.
Although this small tax increase would not act as a prohibitive measure to buying alcohol, the extra revenue can be used to prohibit drunk driving, giving the increase more weight than it would otherwise carry.
