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Senate budget to increase alcohol fund

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Last week the Senate Finance Committee voted to increase the percentage of liquor sales that go to the alcohol fund for addiction treatment and prevention.

The fund, established in 2000, sets aside up to 5% of liquor tax revenue to fight addiction.  However, the Legislature has almost never given a full 5% of revenue to the fund.  In the last budget, only 1.7% of liquor taxes went to the alcohol fund.

The Senate Finance Committee voted to send 3.4% of liquor taxes to the alcohol fund in the next budget.

“Doubling the funding formula going to the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Recovery will continue to support the critical services established to target the tragic substance abuse problem in our state,” said committee chair Sen. Gary Daniels. “It also represents a sustainable funding formula that ensures these resources will be available to stand up the most crucial and effective programs against substance abuse for years to come.” 

Budget writers in the House of Representatives had proposed a very different solution for treatment funding: eliminate the alcohol fund altogether and pay for treatment from the general fund of all tax revenue.

Supporters of that approach argued there is not a direct relationship between liquor sales and drug abuse overall, so it doesn’t make sense to tie liquor tax revenue to addiction treatment.

After the Senate Finance Committee finishes drafting a budget, the full Senate will vote on their proposal.  A conference committee of representatives and senators will then meet to negotiate a final version of the budget that can pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Do you support sending more liquor tax revenue to addiction treatment?  Share your opinion in the comments below.

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