Act Now! Maryland Alcohol Tax Increase

I am not living in Maryland anymore, but this effects many of the people who read this, and many friends of mine.  Flying Dog and Heavy Seas both made a Call for Action to the residents of Maryland.  There is a proposal to raise the tax on alcohol, pushing it up by over 100 percent.

Here is a chart from Heavy Seas:

And here is what you (residents of Maryland) can do, and it only takes a few seconds:
1) Click here for the "Save My MD Job" website

2) Click on "Send Your Legislator an Email Letter"
3) Enter your zip code, email address, and name and mailing address (this is needed to verify you are a constituent)
4) Click "Send Email Letter". You have an option of a prewritten standard letter or you may write your own.

Here is the text from both Heavy Seas and Flying Dog:

Dear Friend of Clipper City Brewing Company, brewers of Heavy Seas Beers.


As some of you are no doubt aware, there is a strong movement afoot to enormously increase the Maryland tax on alcoholic beverages - an average increase of over 750%. Tell me any other tax you would approve of with a 750% increase!

This movement is gaining traction because it misrepresents a huge tax increase as if it were an inconsequential "dime a drink". Many consumers have mistakenly interpreted this increase to mean the tax would only increase their costs in a bar/restaurant by 10 cents a drink.

Unfortunately, this tax will be levied on all alcoholic beverages at the manufacturer level. These amounts will be the absolute MINIMUM price increase you will see on the beverages you buy in Maryland!


If passed this tax will undoubtedly lead to Maryland job losses! Neighboring states will gladly cater to Maryland residents who will cross state lines to save considerable dollars since 20 of MD's 24 counties border another state.

We are looking at an economy that is just getting back on its feet, gas and food prices are rapidly increasing, and unemployment is just beginning to improve. This is not the time to raise this tax!

We need you to help us fight back!

Please contact your Maryland representatives NOW to tell them you do not support this tax. YOU CAN DO THIS IN 30 SECONDS BY FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Click here for website
2) Click on "Send Your Legislator an Email Letter"
3) Enter your zip code, email address, and name and mailing address (this is needed to verify you are a constituent)
4) Click "Send Email Letter". You have an option of a prewritten standard letter or you may write your own.


That's it. Personalized letters will be sent to your legislators telling them you DO NOT WANT THIS TAX!

Thank you very much for your support. Your efforts will hopefully prevent this new tax from being forced upon us. Now one more favor - PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO OTHER MARYLANDERS WHO FEEL LIKE YOU DO!

Thanks again for your support,
Hugh Sisson
Clipper City Brewing Co.

Here at Flying Dog, we stand for brewing extraordinary craft beer, standing tall, and not letting anyone make you eat shit.


As Maryland's largest brewery, we are asking the People's Republic of Flying Dog to take a stand against a movement to increase Maryland tax on alcoholic beverages (House Bill 121/Senate Bill 168).

The movement misrepresents a huge tax increase as "a dime a drink," which makes consumers feel like their cost per drink would only increase by 10 cents.

That is not the case. That tax is set at the manufacturer level and will snowball once the product is distributed and sold at retail. Can you imagine paying an additional $2 for a 6-pack of Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale?!

In addition, this tax will lead to Maryland job losses. Neighboring states will gladly cater to Marylanders who cross state lines to save money. That will be easy, considering that 20 of Maryland's 24 counties border another state. And here at Flying Dog, we employ over 60 Maryland residents and do not want to see that number decrease.

We ask that you now form an opinion and take a stand.

If you choose to stand against this bill, contact your Maryland representatives. Doing so will take 30 seconds.


Go to www.SaveMyMDJob.com
Click on "Send Your Legislator an Email Letter"
Enter your zip code, email address, mailing address, and name (to verify you are a constituent)
Click "Send Email Letter"
The default option is a prewritten letter. You may also choose to write your own.

The first hearing on this legislation is tomorrow (Feb. 23), so time is of the essence. We will be there in Annapolis and we want to carry your voices with us.


Thank you, loyal citizens. As Hunter S. Thompson once said, "Good people drink good beer."