Minnesota House Committee To Consider Liquor Taxes

ST. PAUL (AP) - A House committee is reviewing a proposal to raise state taxes on beer, wine and liquor.

The Taxes Committee convenes Wednesday to review the proposal from Rep. Karen Clark, a Minneapolis Democrat. Her bill would increase excise taxes on beer from $2.40 to $13.97 per 31-gallon barrel, which works out to about 3 cents a glass. Wine excise taxes would go up about 9 cents a glass and liquor taxes would increase about 10 cents.

The money raised would be used for treatment programs, drug courts and other support programs.

Clark has a handful of Democratic co-sponsors for her bill, but fellow Democrat Gov. Mark Dayton did not propose any liquor tax hikes in his budget.