Lawmakers in New Mexico debated whether the tax on alcohol should be a higher cost.
KFOX14 spoke with a liquor store owner in Sunland Park who told us they were already struggling with high costs, so a higher alcohol state tax would kill their business.
"That would be devastating we’re already like the third or fourth highest taxes on alcohol of the states," said Billy Crews, the owner of Billy Crews Fine Dining.
The Associated Press reported that New Mexico had the highest rate of alcohol related deaths a almost 2000 people per year.
To fight that, they wanted to raise taxes on alcohol.
The current tax rates are seven cents per drink for wine and spirits and four cents a drink for beer, but Billy Crews, a liquor store owner, told
KFOX14 the tax raise would only drive their businesses to Texas where alcohol would not be as expensive.
"It would kills us especially with us being next to El Paso," said Crews, "People in ABQ or Santa Fe it wouldn’t bother them cause people can’t buy they’ve got a captive audience we have a lot of competition."
KFOX14 also spoke with New Mexicans and some agreed with Crews.
"I think it’s not good because all the people who live here in New Mexico they are going to buy in El Paso," said Ray Ruiz.
Other New Mexicans said they would like to know what this potential tax raise would go into
"I think it all depends on what they’re using this money for so if they’re raising taxes to do something good for the community like alcoholism awareness you know something with the youth then by all means raise our taxes," said a New Mexican, who chose to remain anonymous, "If you’re just raising our taxes to make more money for the man then no of course not."
It has not been decided whether the raise in the state alcohol tax will happen or not, or how much it would raise, but the first session of New Mexico Legislature will happen in January where it will be discussed.
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