Letter: Don't raise taxes on breweries
Rich Vandenburgh, founder of the Greenport Harbor Brewery, is among the 13 craft brewers on Long Island who are talking about the loss of a tax exemption on craft beers. (May 7, 2012) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
With the brewery business growing in an economy like this, any sudden cost increase could be detrimental ["Officials: Tax is what ails brewers," News, May 7].
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and state Sen. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) have the right idea about fighting for New York State breweries. The end of the tax exemption could stop the expansion of breweries.
Local brewers received an exemption from excise taxes on the first 200,000 barrels of beer produced that out-of-state beer makers didn't get. The loss of the exemption will cost breweries more than $400,000 on 100,000 barrels, according to Schumer.
While the stated purpose of eliminating the tax exemption is to level the playing field, a better solution would be to eliminate or reduce taxes for out-of-state breweries as well.
Hopefully, Schumer and Zeldin will get bills passed to ease the taxes on local breweries and stimulate the economy.
Travis Baumann, Uniondale
