Comments on: Sinners Tax: PASSED

By: kevin keith

kevin keith — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:51:05 +0000

Truth be told, Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati are part of the same metropolitan area. The Cincinnati International Airport’s abrreviation is CVG – which stands for Covington, which is in Kentucky. My store can see the Cincinnati skyline and is separated only by a river and a flood wall. The REAL argument is that the 50 different ways of doing business in this industry in the U.S. is MONUMENTALLY OUTDATED. This way of managing wine and spirits is antiquated and in desperate need of nationalization. However, the lobby on behalf of the wholesalers, who stand to lose everything if the three-tier system is abolished, have fought fiercely, and filled the coifers of countless state politicians to keep things intact. If you wish to see Ohioans shop for wine and spirits in Ohio, push for sweeping reforms to make this nation one uniform way of selling wine & spirits.

By: www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmH7P_wXddAUmZ4FDM6qmQ5IzqmCbrO8A8

www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmH7P_wXddAUmZ4FDM6qmQ5IzqmCbrO8A8 — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:55:53 +0000

I find it deplorable that Ohio residents would go to KY to buy any goods in the first place. It’s a disgrace for Ohio residents to turn their backs on superior establishments in their own superior communities, just so they can attempt to save a buck by going to someone who can play by a different set of rules. I say Ohioians should stay the hell out of KY and buy local. Besides, isn’t it the green thing to do?

By: kevin keith

kevin keith — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 04:34:05 +0000

Gary,
What you don’t realize is that while yes, Kentucky and Ohio are probably cheaper than AL, 1) because KY is an open market, and 2) because OH ranks much higher in total consumption per capita (even though they are a control state as well). However, the issues at hand are that KY is currently ONE of the highest alcohol tax rates in the US and that now, with the tax hike passing both houses, KY will be #1 in highest alcohol tax rates, and that the injustice of the fact that only 30 of the 120 counties in KY are “wet,” so only 25% of the counties in Ky are actually making the tax revenue to be divided amongst all 120 counties. This inequity is compounded by the fact that Northern Kentucky banks heavily on Ohio customers who cross the river from Cincinnati into Covington and Newport to purchase wine & spirits at a cheaper price than it would be in OH. The price gap between OH and KY will virtually be erased with this new tax hike. This will in turn induce the OH shoppers (our store counts on 80% of our business from OH) to remain in OH and spend their money there. This affects not only retail wine stores, but restaurants, gas stations, lottery sales, shopping centers, you get the idea. The folks down state have no idea of the economic dynamic in this part of the state because they are all insulated by the dry counties (I refer to Louisville, Lexington and Bowling Green). The end result, which they are striving to generate an additional $180 mil in taxes, will more than likely be considerably less or even in the negative due to stores closing and lost revenue from OH and even IN. Fun eh? The distilleries (think of what this will do to the Bourbon industry) and wineries here will suffer as well. It’s not just about “sin tax” – they are assailing the entire hospitality industry.

By: Gary OBrien

Gary OBrien — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:06:28 +0000

Sorry, but I’ve got to disagree with you on this one….
Coming from Alabama, where the state controls it all we have found the prices in both
OH and KY to be much, much better. For instances, a bottle that in KY retails for about
$10 would easily be $14 in AL. So, now it’s going to be about $10.20 or so? I will
still take that over some really outrageous prices anyday of the week.
Yes, I do agree that the tax rates on alcohol are absurd (we are post-Prohibition
after all) but I certainly don’t think KY is near the top.

By: Dick Carlson

Dick Carlson — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:25:28 +0000

Just curious — how does this compare to alcohol taxes in some of your neighboring states — like us over here in SC, for example? Is this a “suthern” thing?