AXE THE LIQUOR TAX

FREE LIQUOR MARKET and ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT

INITIATIVE 1308

Read Copy of Full Initiative Here

Lowering taxes of all kinds leaves more money for consumers to spend or save, making their lives better!  That’s how it should be!   Lowering the taxes imposed on liquor sales is no different, more money in people’s pockets means they have less stress over finances. 

Shouldn’t that be a primary goal of governmental policies and laws? 

Consumers that are better off financially create more jobs in the economy for suppliers of goods and services. If government RAISES taxes, the consumer ultimately looses and there are less jobs in the economy.

When government creates WINDFALL TAXES, like they did through the backdoor with I-1183 in 2011, Washington’s economy as a whole suffers and citizens are less well off.

It’s time to dump the new taxes piled onto the price of liquor by I-1183 and time to end the government’s meddling in the marketplace, deciding who is too big to fail, who should be able to compete, and among competitors, who should win. 

Initiative 13xx will slash the retail spirits license fee taxes from 17% to 2.5%, the spirits distributor fee from 10% to 1.5%, and roll back the licensing fees on all alcoholic beverage vendors’ licenses of between 15% and 60% less than what they are under the current law.  I-13xx will also allow grocery stores with at least 4,500 square feet of space to become spirits retailers just like the big box stores.

Join us today and tell the State of Washington that you’re tired of it sticking its citizens with some of the highest tax rates in the nation, including the highest taxes on alcoholic beverages in the nation

· Sign a Petition  (under construction - waiting for State Code Reviser’s review of initiative  to be completed)

 

· Circulate a Petition (We pay $1 per signature*)

 

 

· Donate to fund the campaign to place this initiative on the ballot. 

HERE’S WHAT THE NEW  LIQUOR LAWS WILL BE LIKE UNDER I-1308:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*  Limitations apply:  Petition circulators must  either be an independent contractor and meet all six tests for an individual to be considered to be an independent contractor in Washington, as set out in the  “Record Keeping and Reporting Guides” published by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, or become a full or part time piece work compensated employee of Democracy Workshop.  To become an employee you must be offered employment, then complete and sign an application for employment, an IRS W-4 Form, and if hired make payments from your paycheck as appropriate for IRS withholding tax and for Social Security (FICA)/Medicare taxes, and will be covered by Washington State’s Worker’s Compensation and Employment Security programs.  NO EXCEPTIONS—DON”T ASK!

Fee Liquor Market Economic Opportunity Act Changes

RCW

License Category

Subject Matter

 Present Law

 Future Law

RCW 66.24.055

Spirits Distributor License

First two years of licensure

 10% of annual  revenue

 1.5% of annual revenue 

Third and future years of licensure

 5% of annual revenue

 2.5% of annual revenue

Distributor license fee per location

 $  1,320.00

 $  1,000.00

RCW 66.24.160

Spirits Importer's License

Expansion of importer license business opportunities

 

 

Spirits importer license fee

 $     600.00

 $     400.00

RCW 66.24.200

Wine Distributor's License

License Fee

 $     660.00

 $     500.00

RCW 66.24.203

Wine Importer's License

Physical state based office required

 

 

License Fee

 $     160.00

 $     100.00

RCW 66.24.250

Beer Distributor's License

License Fee

 $     660.00

 $     500.00

RCW 66.24.320

Beer and/or Wine Restaurant License

Beer License Fee

 $     200.00

 $     150.00

Wine License Fee

 $     200.00

 $     150.00

Combo Beer & Wine License Fee

 $     400.00

 $     275.00

Endorsement

 $     350.00

 $     250.00

RCW 66.24.330

Tavern License

Beer License Fee

 $     200.00

 $     150.00

Wine License Fee

 $     200.00

 $     150.00

Combo Beer & Wine License Fee

 $     400.00

 $     275.00

New License Fee

 $     400.00

 $     275.00

RCW 66.24.350

Snack Bar License

License Fee

 $     125.00

 $        75.00

RCW 66.24.354

Combined License - Beer & Wine on and off premises

License Fee

 $     120.00

 $     100.00

RCW 66.24.360

Grocery Store License

Multiple single sales per day; cumulatively in excess of 24 liters

 No

 Yes

License Fee

 $     150.00

 $     100.00

Wine reseller endorsement

 $     166.00

 $     100.00

RCW 66.24.400

Liquor by the Drink Restaurant License, Hotel or Club

License Fee

 $     120.00

 $     100.00

Endorsement

 $     120.00

 $     100.00

RCW 66.24.420

Liquor by the Drink Caterer's Endorsement

<50% dedicated dining area

 $  2,000.00

 $  1,750.00

>50% dedicated dining area

 $  1,600.00

 $  1,400.00

Service bar only

 $  1,000.00

 $     875.00

Additional License fee

25%

20%

RCW 66.24.425

Restaurants Not Serving the General Public License

Endorsement Fee - up to 40 non-club members event

 $     900.00

 $     450.00

Endorsement Fee - off premise consumption sales

 $     120.00

 $     100.00

RCW 66.24.450

Private Club License

Endorsement Fee

 $     900.00

 $     450.00

Endorsement Fee - off premise consumption sales

 $     120.00

 $     100.00

RCW 66.24.452

Private Club Beer & Wine License

License Fee

 $     180.00

 $     100.00

Endorsement Fee - off premise consumption sales

 $     120.00

 $     100.00

RCW 66.24.540

Motel License

License Fee

 $     500.00

 $     375.00

RCW 66.24.570

Sports Entertainment Facility License

License Fee

 $  2,500.00

 $  2,000.00

Endorsement - Caterer

 $     350.00

 $     250.00

RCW 66.24.580

Public House License

License Fee

 $  1,000.00

 $     800.00

RCW 66.24.590

Hotel License

License Fee

 $  2,000.00

 $  1,750.00

RCW 66.24.600

Nightclub License

License Fee

 $  2,000.00

 $  1,750.00

Proportionate cost of licensing and enforcing

 No

 Yes

RCW 66.24.630

Spirits Retail License

Multiple single sales per day; cumulatively in excess of 24 liters

 No

 Yes

Minimum Square Footage of premises

 10000 s.f.

 4500 s.f.

License Issuance Fee - percent of all spirits revenues

17%

2.5%

Training for sellers

 Every 5 years

 Every 2 years

RCW 66.28.030

Penalties and Punishment of Upstream of Offending Parties

Repealed in its entirety

RCW 66.24.xxx

New Section

Certificate of Approval For Category

License Issuance Fee $400

Out of State Spirits Certificate of Approval