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 |
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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 |
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Distributor license fee per location |
$ 1,320.00 |
$ 1,000.00 |
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RCW 66.24.160 |
Spirits Importer's License |
Expansion of importer license business opportunities |
|
|
Spirits importer license fee |
$ 600.00 |
$ 400.00 |
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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 |
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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 |
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Combo Beer & Wine License Fee |
$ 400.00 |
$ 275.00 |
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Endorsement |
$ 350.00 |
$ 250.00 |
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RCW 66.24.330 |
Tavern License |
Beer License Fee |
$ 200.00 |
$ 150.00 |
Wine License Fee |
$ 200.00 |
$ 150.00 |
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Combo Beer & Wine License Fee |
$ 400.00 |
$ 275.00 |
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New License Fee |
$ 400.00 |
$ 275.00 |
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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 |
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Wine reseller endorsement |
$ 166.00 |
$ 100.00 |
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RCW 66.24.400 |
Liquor by the Drink Restaurant License, Hotel or Club |
License Fee |
$ 120.00 |
$ 100.00 |
Endorsement |
$ 120.00 |
$ 100.00 |
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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 |
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Service bar only |
$ 1,000.00 |
$ 875.00 |
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Additional License fee |
25% |
20% |
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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 |
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RCW 66.24.450 |
Private Club License |
Endorsement Fee |
$ 900.00 |
$ 450.00 |
Endorsement Fee - off premise consumption sales |
$ 120.00 |
$ 100.00 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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. |
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License Issuance Fee - percent of all spirits revenues |
17% |
2.5% |
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Training for sellers |
Every 5 years |
Every 2 years |
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RCW 66.28.030 |
Penalties and Punishment of Upstream of Offending Parties |
Repealed in its entirety |
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RCW 66.24.xxx |
New Section |
Certificate of Approval For Category License Issuance Fee $400 |
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Out of State Spirits Certificate of Approval |