Hear ye, hear ye.
Group wants to raise beer tax
A student group is confident it can gather 15,000 petition signatures in less than a month in an effort to raise North Dakota's beer tax, its coordinator says.
The proposed tax increase would finance a new "responsible choices commission," which would work to prevent alcohol and drug abuse. The higher tax would raise about $1.3 million annually, and increase the price of a can of beer by less than a penny, said Lee Erickson of Hillsboro, the state coordinator of Students Against Destructive Decisions.
The initiative was drafted after the Legislature declined to raise the beer tax two years ago. Secretary of State Al Jaeger approved it for circulation on April 17, 2006.
Once the secretary of state approves an initiative petition, supporters have one year to gather the required signatures. To go on the ballot, the beer-tax petition must have at least 12,844 signatures turned in by April 17.
Associated Press
Until now, Erickson said, the petition has been dormant because its supporters were waiting to see if the Legislature would provide the money. That now appears unlikely, he said.
He is confident the signature deadline can be met.
"This is something that we've been talking about for two or three years," Erickson said. "We have a small army of people across the state - SADD advisers, school counselors, law enforcement people, clergy people - you name it."
North Dakota's beer tax is 8 cents per gallon of keg beer and 16 cents per gallon for beer sold in cans and bottles. The initiative, if put on the ballot and approved by voters, would raise the keg-beer tax to 16 cents a gallon, and the tax on canned and bottled beer to 24 cents a gallon.
It would raise the cost of a 12-ounce beer by less than a penny. The tax on a 15.5-gallon keg would increase from $1.24 to $2.48, and the tax on a case of 24 12-ounce cans of beer would rise from 36 cents to 54 cents.
Studies have indicated North Dakota has one of the nation's highest rates of binge drinking among young people. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting.
"North Dakota has a huge problem with this, and we need to take it more seriously," Erickson said. "We have no doubt whatsoever that we'll be able to gather up a ton of signatures in a hurry."
Am I the only one sitting here wondering what happened... why did we wait a whole year? To see if the government would spend money on us?
Why.
Gah. Now I wish Askvig would've taken us down to Bismarck, I woulda made a bee line for any open forums or w/e they're called that touched this subject.
But eh, I don' know the whole story yet. Sent a message to Jacob, asking for answers... I'm hoping he'll point in the right direction, because I am simply unsatisfied with the answer Lee gave to reporters. And if Twila wants us to have a press conference, which I will push for, because April 17th isn't that far away, we'll need to know what we're talking about.
--story from Minot Daily, Bismarck AP story [http://tinyurl.com/yopsh5] last half of linked article
Update : messages.me --> Jacob / Georgy
hey yo. Good job at Convention dude.
But I was talkin' to my mom 'bout it and she mentioned something really 'disturbing'. She said that that petition Lee mentioned was approved a year ago... but "the petition has been dormant because it's supporters were waiting to see if the Legislature would provide the money" [Bismarck AP story].
pardon ze french, but wth? Why didn' we start petitioning earlier... we all know how lazy and slow the govt. can be sometimes... why didn't we have a back up plan workin' aka petitioning? I coulda easily rounded up a couple hundred at a few festivals I was attending [assuming that that's not illegal] and I work Farmer's Market here in Minot, tons of people come and go, especially when Extreme MakeOver came through here...
we coulda easily moved some serious tush. So why did we twiddle thumbs until here, the last nine weeks of school, things rainin' and pourin' 'round us to do this massive rush?
I don' mean to sound rude, I'm just really surprised at how much delay has happened.
Please reply ASAP. I figure I shouldn' bother Lee too much with all this rush happenin'.
Jacob/ Georgy --> me
Your question is a good one Stephanie. We were on the virgue of petitioning but the government "promised" us money. I know that they are slow, but they HATE IT when people go "behind there backs and get petitions". The money from the petition would only last a few years and we would eventually NEED to work with the legislature someday. And we didn't want to piss them off now and get our money then three years from now have them get back at us and say no. I understand your frustration, but another reason we can wait is because of passionate people like you. We will have to act fast for this to happen if we don't get our money.
I see government now as a fine dance with small feet. Dance lightly and gently for if you dance to rapidly or hard you will hurt some toes...which will come back to hurt you.
Good question and I know my answer is a little lame but that is why. Unfortunately we need to scratch the back of ND Legislatures. I know it sucks.
I hope this answers your question.
P.S. I didn't think that you were rude...it was nice to see someone with such open thoughts and who is not afraid to say them.
Any other questions just ask. We will get our money somewhere and somehow....I promise....
georgy
I replied [of course] and I'll include it if he replies and it's useful.
A student group is confident it can gather 15,000 petition signatures in less than a month in an effort to raise North Dakota's beer tax, its coordinator says.
The proposed tax increase would finance a new "responsible choices commission," which would work to prevent alcohol and drug abuse. The higher tax would raise about $1.3 million annually, and increase the price of a can of beer by less than a penny, said Lee Erickson of Hillsboro, the state coordinator of Students Against Destructive Decisions.
The initiative was drafted after the Legislature declined to raise the beer tax two years ago. Secretary of State Al Jaeger approved it for circulation on April 17, 2006.
Once the secretary of state approves an initiative petition, supporters have one year to gather the required signatures. To go on the ballot, the beer-tax petition must have at least 12,844 signatures turned in by April 17.
Associated Press
Until now, Erickson said, the petition has been dormant because its supporters were waiting to see if the Legislature would provide the money. That now appears unlikely, he said.
He is confident the signature deadline can be met.
"This is something that we've been talking about for two or three years," Erickson said. "We have a small army of people across the state - SADD advisers, school counselors, law enforcement people, clergy people - you name it."
North Dakota's beer tax is 8 cents per gallon of keg beer and 16 cents per gallon for beer sold in cans and bottles. The initiative, if put on the ballot and approved by voters, would raise the keg-beer tax to 16 cents a gallon, and the tax on canned and bottled beer to 24 cents a gallon.
It would raise the cost of a 12-ounce beer by less than a penny. The tax on a 15.5-gallon keg would increase from $1.24 to $2.48, and the tax on a case of 24 12-ounce cans of beer would rise from 36 cents to 54 cents.
Studies have indicated North Dakota has one of the nation's highest rates of binge drinking among young people. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting.
"North Dakota has a huge problem with this, and we need to take it more seriously," Erickson said. "We have no doubt whatsoever that we'll be able to gather up a ton of signatures in a hurry."
Am I the only one sitting here wondering what happened... why did we wait a whole year? To see if the government would spend money on us?
Why.
Gah. Now I wish Askvig would've taken us down to Bismarck, I woulda made a bee line for any open forums or w/e they're called that touched this subject.
But eh, I don' know the whole story yet. Sent a message to Jacob, asking for answers... I'm hoping he'll point in the right direction, because I am simply unsatisfied with the answer Lee gave to reporters. And if Twila wants us to have a press conference, which I will push for, because April 17th isn't that far away, we'll need to know what we're talking about.
--story from Minot Daily, Bismarck AP story [http://tinyurl.com/yopsh5] last half of linked article
Update : messages.me --> Jacob / Georgy
hey yo. Good job at Convention dude.
But I was talkin' to my mom 'bout it and she mentioned something really 'disturbing'. She said that that petition Lee mentioned was approved a year ago... but "the petition has been dormant because it's supporters were waiting to see if the Legislature would provide the money" [Bismarck AP story].
pardon ze french, but wth? Why didn' we start petitioning earlier... we all know how lazy and slow the govt. can be sometimes... why didn't we have a back up plan workin' aka petitioning? I coulda easily rounded up a couple hundred at a few festivals I was attending [assuming that that's not illegal] and I work Farmer's Market here in Minot, tons of people come and go, especially when Extreme MakeOver came through here...
we coulda easily moved some serious tush. So why did we twiddle thumbs until here, the last nine weeks of school, things rainin' and pourin' 'round us to do this massive rush?
I don' mean to sound rude, I'm just really surprised at how much delay has happened.
Please reply ASAP. I figure I shouldn' bother Lee too much with all this rush happenin'.
Jacob/ Georgy --> me
Your question is a good one Stephanie. We were on the virgue of petitioning but the government "promised" us money. I know that they are slow, but they HATE IT when people go "behind there backs and get petitions". The money from the petition would only last a few years and we would eventually NEED to work with the legislature someday. And we didn't want to piss them off now and get our money then three years from now have them get back at us and say no. I understand your frustration, but another reason we can wait is because of passionate people like you. We will have to act fast for this to happen if we don't get our money.
I see government now as a fine dance with small feet. Dance lightly and gently for if you dance to rapidly or hard you will hurt some toes...which will come back to hurt you.
Good question and I know my answer is a little lame but that is why. Unfortunately we need to scratch the back of ND Legislatures. I know it sucks.
I hope this answers your question.
P.S. I didn't think that you were rude...it was nice to see someone with such open thoughts and who is not afraid to say them.
Any other questions just ask. We will get our money somewhere and somehow....I promise....
georgy
I replied [of course] and I'll include it if he replies and it's useful.