The Daily Alaska empire., 1947-02-07
SENATE VOTES
 INCREASES OF
 LIQUOR FAXES
Special" Legislation Is Under Fire in Conne(-
 lion with Float Bill

Topping list of four measures gaining Alaska Senate approval be- tween noon Thursday and noon to- day was Senate Bill Is, which gives decided boosts to territorial taxes upon liquors The bill carried this forenoon after an amendment pro- posed "on principle by Senator Edward D. Coffey, was turned down. The bill would set the following new tax rates: On malt leverage, ten cents per gallon; on wines con- taining not more than 21 percent ! alcohol by volume, 25 cents per gallon; on liquors containing more than 2l percent alcohol. s3 per gallon. Present tax brackets are live cents, Is cents and S2, respec- lively The present law also in- citdes beverage up to g percent al- cohol in the wine bracket
 Against l00et Boost
 Stating that he has always stood against increasing anyones taxes 1 lCo percent Senator Coffey this morning proposed to set the new levy on malt beverage at seven and one-half cents instead of ten cents hut he did not win sufficient support to carry his motion. The bill was passed by a 10 to five vote. Senators Brownell, Coffey, Green. Rivers and Walker record ing nays The measure is ex- pected to increase tax revenues col lected on liquors by approximately s35o,o0o annually, more firmly es- tablishing tha liquor business as !the Territory's second-biggest tax payer.
 Discussion was not prolonged though Senator N R. Walker took exception to previous remark by Senator John Butrovich, Jr. that liquor is strictly luxury. It is 1 not luxury, 1t is our greatest hardshir,' Walker declared. He questioned the policy of piling up taxes upon liquor because it's easy to do. rather than looking for other sources of revenue.
 Hit More People"
 Senator Coffey stated that liquor levies Init more peopla than most any other tax"
 The three other measures that the Senate saw fit to OK are. s. B IA, by Senator o. D. Coch- ran-to appropriate $675.l0 to re- imburse the Northern Light and Power Company for tax paid upon fuel oil lost in storm at Nome. in October, l946. Senator Coch- ran, emphasizing that he has nev- CT represented the company, said he had introduced the bill upon equitable grounds He cited a let ter from the Tax Commissioner ad- Vising the company that it had no ether recourse than to the Legisla- ture. Senator Don Carlos Brown ell one of four solons voting against passage, expressed fear of the "far-reaching precedent" that it might establish.
 Sets Terminal Pay 5. E. O. by Senator Victor c. Rivers-an act to clarity present status regarding sick leave and an- nual leave of territorial employees An added feature provides for terminal pay covering all annual leave, up to minimum Of GO days ieave, up to. maximum of 60 days, accrued at time of separation from service. Only one minor amend 1 ment was made in the measure at- ter the appropriation had been stricken upon adoption of the com mittee report yesterday morning. There was no discussicn and the bill carried unanimously
 Senate Joint Resolution No | by Chas. D Jones--to authorize the department of Public Welfare to pay up to sl0 per day for hos pitalization and medical care for a pioneer Nome miner, Axel Wer- ner, who is now a permanent in- valid confined to bed with an in- curable ailment. Brownell cast the only no vote
 Vets Tax Up
 s. B. l3. to extend the Veterans Tax to an effective termination date, March 3l. le49, was moved up for third reading. then was con- tinued to give opportunity to ques- ton Veterans Affairs Commissioner Norman Haley It was expected to receive extended consideration by the Senate this afternoon. Senator Walkers measure-S. B. l8 to appropriate Sl5,000 for con- struction of small boat float in ! Thomas Basin. at Ketchikan, was 1 the closing item of business both yesterday afternoon and this morn