South Dakota Increase Alcohol Tax Initiative (2008)
| Not on Ballot |
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| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
| Voting on Alcohol |
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| Ballot Measures |
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| Not on ballot |
| Local measures |
The Increase Alcohol Tax Initiative was proposed as an initiated state statute in South Dakota. It was approved for circulation. If slightly over 16,000 valid signatures had been collected by April 1, 2008, it would have been on the November 4, 2008 general election ballot in South Dakota.
The initiative would have impacted 4 areas: to increase the tax on alcoholic beverages by approximately $0.10 per drink, to dedicate the revenue from such tax increase, to create the South Dakota Teen Court Commission, and to create the South Dakota Commission on Equal Access to Our Courts.
There was some controversy surrounding the genesis of this initiative. The South Dakota Association of County Commissioners had tried in previous years to pass these measures directly through the legislature, and failed. This time, they brought the matter directly to the citizens of South Dakota in the hopes that there would have been enough support there to pass the measure.[1]
Status
Failed to collect enough signatures to make the ballot.
Support
- South Dakota Association of County Commissioners
- The increase in tax revenue was expected to "raise $35 million to help pay for policing, jails, and other programs to address problems related to alcohol abuse, county officials told state lawmakers."[2]
Opposition
- Small wineries[3]
- Owners of liquor stores[4]
- "Lobbyists for the liquor industry said the proposal would unfairly tax people who drink responsibly and would cause many people to drive to other states to buy wine, beer and liquor."[5]
See also
- South Dakota 2008 ballot measures
- Petition drive deadlines in 2008
- South Dakota Initiative and Referendum Law
- South Dakota signature requirements
- Campaign finance requirements for South Dakota ballot measures
External links
- Full text of initiative
- Status of 2008 ballot measures from the South Dakota Secretary of State
- South Dakota Association of County Commissioners website
Footnotes
- ↑ Editorial: Ballot initiative might backfire for counties. Argus Leader, 1/22/08
- ↑ S.D. Lawmakers Urged to Raise Alcohol Tax to Address Related Problems News summary from Join Together, 1/15/08
- ↑ Wineries May Be Hurt on Alcohol TaxAssociated Press, 1/22/08
- ↑ Possible Alcohol Tax? (dead link)' MSNBC website, 1/17/08
- ↑ Senate panel kills proposed alcohol tax (dead link)' Associated Press, 1/16/08
