Beer Tax Can Help Treat Wisconsin's Drinking Problem
MADISON - UW Health leaders and a host of statewide organizations and citizens told legislators Tuesday that a "pennies per bottle" increase in the beer tax has public support and could help solve the public health crisis caused by excessive drinking in Wisconsin.
MADISON - UW Health leaders and a host of statewide organizations and citizens told legislators Tuesday that a "pennies per bottle" increase in the beer tax has public support and could help solve the public health crisis caused by excessive drinking in Wisconsin.
Dr. Robert N. Golden, dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and Donna Katen-Bahensky, president and CEO of UW Hospital and Clinics, spoke to a historic meeting of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety; Tuesday marked the first time in more than 30 years the Legislature has heard public comment on raising Wisconsin's beer tax.
Read excerpts of supporting testimony
The health leaders are part of AWARE (All-Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education), a coalition convened by UW Health a year ago that currently has more than 50 health and medical, law enforcement, civic, prevention and treatment, and insurance groups as members.
|
Paul Jenkins' daughter was killed by a drunk driver. He explains his support for increased measures. |
Katen-Bahensky said that Wisconsin health care providers see the results of Wisconsin's overuse of alcohol every day.
"Diseases and injuries related to alcohol and drug use make it the fourth-leading cause of death and the fourth-leading cause of hospitalizations in our state,'' Katen-Bahensky said. "The economic toll of such cases is more than $5 billion each year paid by our health care, social services, and criminal justice systems and ultimately by our taxpayers."
Golden said that as part of the school's transformation into the nation's only school of medicine and public health, school leaders began reviewing major public health issues facing Wisconsin.
|
Dane Co. Executive Kathleen Falks rallies AWARE Coalition members. |
"Alcohol abuse hurts thousands of innocent victims in this state through drunken-driving accidents and fatalities, increased criminal activity such as domestic abuse and increased health care costs," Golden said.
As is the case for many public health concerns, money is needed to tackle the problem, Golden said. He noted that while the Legislature has not raised Wisconsin's beer tax for 40 years, a poll earlier this year sponsored by UW Health found that a majority of Wisconsin residents would support an increase in the beer tax.
"I must say we were a bit surprised at the results,'' Golden said. "Fifty-eight percent favored an increase in the beer tax if the money went towards treatment and prevention of alcohol abuse and strengthening enforcement of drunk-driving laws."
Katen-Bahensky stressed that AWARE does not advocate for an increased tax lightly, but only because state residents had also expressed concern about the issue through the poll.
"Let me be clear we are not against drinking and we do not wish to economically burden any business or industry, but the facts are clear: Wisconsin has a drinking problem," she said. "And it impacts all of us through higher health insurance premiums, criminal costs and the taking of innocent lives."
Rep. Berceau said she was encouraged that groups such as AWARE were coming to the Legislature asking for help in changing the state's drinking culture.
"This is definitely an issue in which the people are ahead of their political leaders," Berceau said. "A few pennies on a bottle of beer will help us begin to solve the problems we all experience from the abuse of alcohol in Wisconsin."
Date published: 10/13/2009
Date Published: 10/13/2009
