Market research
The US state of Hawaii faces a 50% increase in liquor tax after the state Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday approved the proposal yesterday.
The move is has been made to increase state revenues by about $20m, half the amount Gov. Ben Cayetano had requested as part of his financial plan to balance the state budget.
Bu there has been opposition to the change with some wine producers saying it will put then out of business and Senator Fred Hemmings pronouncing that: "In many economic environments, increasing taxes literally destroys the tax base and results in less taxes," said Sen. Fred Hemmings, R-Kailua-Waimanalo.
