A House bill that is calling for a 10-cent beer tax hike is threatening to put the state’s beer breweries over a barrel.
“This affects all of us,” said JT Thompson, the minister of propaganda at Smuttynose Brewing Co. in Portsmouth. He called it a “sin tax” that will adversely affect larger breweries and micro breweries.
“We should be encouraging local businesses to grow instead of raising taxes on them,” Thompson said.
If Smuttynose has to pay an additional 10 cents per gallon, Thompson said that represents a pretty big spike they would have to absorb. In 2012, he said Smuttynose brewed 43,000 barrels of beer and each barrel contains 31 gallons. The proposed tax increase would leave Smuttynose with just over $133,000 in additional costs.
Update from the NH Union Leader:
CONCORD - Gov. Maggie Hassan today rejected a proposal to boost the beer tax from 30 to 40 cents a gallon, but said she is willing to listen to proposals for additional revenue for the state's transportation infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters after the Executive Council meeting, Hassan said, "I want to let the people of New Hampshire know I oppose increasing the beer tax and I will veto it if it gets to my desk."
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