College towns looking at tax on beer

ASSOCIATED PRESS

February 12, 2007

 

COLUMBUS - College towns where students tend to party a little too hearty are looking at ways to defray the costs of keeping them in check. One idea: a 4-cent-a-bottle beer tax to help pay for police and fire services.

 

"Being a college town, we have tremendous financial outlays on alcohol-related events, such as house parties that are out of control, littering, Dumpsters and couches set on fire," Kent City Councilman John Kuhar said.

 

State Rep. Kathleen Chandler, D-Kent, is considering introducing a bill that would allow voters to decide on such a sin tax for safety forces in their cities. Officials in other college towns, such as Athens and Oxford, are watching.

 

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More at:

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070212/NEWS01/702120368

im not all against sin taxes but come on what a bull shite tax. yeah they have costs related to college kids....they also make a crapload of loot off college kids too. sheesh college towns are some of the financially healthiest towns there are. why dont they tax textbooks too?

 

geezus, my old town of lorain could only dream of having a college population and that they should have such problems.

Link contains a photo. From the 2/13/07 Athens Messenger:

 

 

Athens officials, bar owners react to beer tax

CASEY S. ELLIOTT

Staff Writer

 

Athens city officials and bar owners are eyeing a suggestion that a beer tax be used to help pay for police and fire services. It could help the city offset costs for events like the downtown Halloween party, but could be a burden on bar owners.

 

State Rep. Kathleen Chandler, a Democrat from Kent, has raised the possibility of introducing a bill that would allow voters to decide on such a tax for safety forces in their cities.

 

The idea has been one that Athens officials have thought of in the past. Councilwoman Carol Patterson said a trip to a tourist district in Tennessee that received funding in a similar way piqued her interest, but it is currently illegal in Ohio. However, were the state to legalize the practice, the tax could conceivably raise some money to mitigate the costs incurred by the city annually for the Halloween party.

 

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More at:

http://athensmessenger.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&ArticleID=2585

 

From the 2/23/07 Miami Student:

 

 

Potential beer tax could impact college towns

Sarah Foster

Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: Community

 

In an effort to help pay for police and fire services in college towns, students at Miami University and other Ohio institutions may soon be paying a 4-cent beer tax on their favorite bottled alcohol at bars and restaurants.

 

The proposed tax surfaced at Kent State University to assist safety forces, including police and fire departments.

 

Kent City Councilman John Kuhar initially thought of the idea of placing a tax on beer at drinking establishments earlier this month after seeing increased police and fire department calls related to out-of-control college parties and other college-related incidents.

 

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More at:

http://media.www.miamistudent.net/media/storage/paper776/news/2007/02/23/Community/Potential.Beer.Tax.Could.Impact.College.Towns-2739543.shtml

 

Most of you small towns wouldn't be s#!t without your university; show some respect!

 

I don't see a small tax as being a big deal. If the added cost is small, college students will still go to local establishments for convenience.