While reading The Star Tribune this past Sunday I came across an editorial that was very intriguing. It posed the ideal that an dime tax increase in alcohol would be beneficial to the state of Minnesota. The author Stephen Simon, stated that excessive alcohol consumption costs the state $4.6 billion dollars each year. By raising the tax from where it is currently beer and wine at one cent and six cents of liquor, he believes that it will provide the state with the funding that would save lives.
The article brings up some very good points: 10% of the the drinkers in MN consume 60% of the alcohol, DWI penalties do not deter citizens from driving while intoxicated and the average person drives 50-100 times before being caught. Driving while intoxicated I agree is a burden to society.
I find it hard to believe that a dime increase would cure any of the plagues that excessive alcohol consumption is associated with. True, that the tax increase would provide the state with $260 million dollars in revenue each year. But I hardly believe the case study in the article stating, increasing tax reduces the number of deaths and decreases consumption.
Increasing the tax would not decrease consumption. If people wanna have a drink they will. Having to pay a mere ten cents more would not be the deciding factor on whether or not one drinks. As for the increase in revenue it would provide the state with funding that may be able to what? Catch a few more drunk drivers each year potentially stopping a accident that might result in a death.
This tax increase is just another example of the burdens the government is putting on its citizens. Instead of this tax increase, the state should hold establishments who over serve these individuals who feel that is ok to drive under the influence more responsible. Working in a large bar I had to and have too each year take a serve safe class. This class teaches how to responsibly serve alcohol. This is where responsible serving of alcohol and thus responsible consumption should start. If establishments do not allow their patrons to drink to the level where they are a hazard to the public, drunk driving infractions would decline. This would stop people from drinking at a private residence and then driving, but we already know that DWI penalties themselves do not deter people from getting behind the wheel.
Excess alcohol consumption and people getting behind the wheel after driving will continue to be a issue that we will have to deal with. Although this tax increase may allow for more patrolling of our roads for drunk driver it does not solve the problem of businesses allowing their patrons to become so intoxicated that this situation is a issue to begin with.
The tax should not be enacted. There should be in its place more sever penalties on businesses that allow patron to drink in excess.
View the article @:
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/89299567.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Determined for a better future
Everyday we hear how the economic climate of the United States of America is falling apart. People are losing jobs, businesses are closing and homes are being foreclosed on. This notion of a grim economic future and unstable job market can force sever stress on the modern citizen.
Working in the service industry I am likely to see the direct reflections of the economy. If it is doing well people dine out more often then when it is not. I have notice that there indeed are less people going out then years past. People are just doing what is natural, they are defining priorities and many times going out simply does not meet that criterion.
With less people through the door it gives people like me and my co-workers fewer opportunities to make money. For some they are able to adapt to this and for other it is a struggle fought every shift.
One of my co-workers has this beautiful piece of land right next to the park reserve. It will never get developed, they enjoy unobstructed sunset views every night. They also have a barn on the property where they have six horses, which they ride and enjoy. Each year they for all of the employees host a summer bash. Last year it include a concert, bonfire and a keg stand contest. There home is a beautiful one that they love and enjoy. There is only one problem this is not cheap!
They like many Americas she got approved for a mortgage that they simply could not afford. Then my co-workers husband was laid off and now the family was relying on her income. With the downturn in the economy she was not making the money she had been accustomed too. Even with picking up extra shifts I can remember her confiding in me that she was late on her mortgage payment and needed to have a good shift. I felt both empathy for her. She was trying to support a family all by her self. Many times she told me she was going to quit and find a new job, but nothing became of that.
She often told me of her five year plan as she called it. She currently was in school and was going to get her physical therapy degree. She then was going to work at both jobs, pay off her student loans then work full time as a physical therapist. Through all that she has been through there is this sense of determination I often see in her.
As a nation we have a very strong sense of what we want our economy to be. A strong economy is the backbone of the nation, it is what makes this whole free market system operate. With strong people like the people I work with, our lawmakers and the citizens of our nation we can help in our own way to make the economy stronger.
Working in the service industry I am likely to see the direct reflections of the economy. If it is doing well people dine out more often then when it is not. I have notice that there indeed are less people going out then years past. People are just doing what is natural, they are defining priorities and many times going out simply does not meet that criterion.
With less people through the door it gives people like me and my co-workers fewer opportunities to make money. For some they are able to adapt to this and for other it is a struggle fought every shift.
One of my co-workers has this beautiful piece of land right next to the park reserve. It will never get developed, they enjoy unobstructed sunset views every night. They also have a barn on the property where they have six horses, which they ride and enjoy. Each year they for all of the employees host a summer bash. Last year it include a concert, bonfire and a keg stand contest. There home is a beautiful one that they love and enjoy. There is only one problem this is not cheap!
They like many Americas she got approved for a mortgage that they simply could not afford. Then my co-workers husband was laid off and now the family was relying on her income. With the downturn in the economy she was not making the money she had been accustomed too. Even with picking up extra shifts I can remember her confiding in me that she was late on her mortgage payment and needed to have a good shift. I felt both empathy for her. She was trying to support a family all by her self. Many times she told me she was going to quit and find a new job, but nothing became of that.
She often told me of her five year plan as she called it. She currently was in school and was going to get her physical therapy degree. She then was going to work at both jobs, pay off her student loans then work full time as a physical therapist. Through all that she has been through there is this sense of determination I often see in her.
As a nation we have a very strong sense of what we want our economy to be. A strong economy is the backbone of the nation, it is what makes this whole free market system operate. With strong people like the people I work with, our lawmakers and the citizens of our nation we can help in our own way to make the economy stronger.
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