State Looks to Re-Jigger Liquor Tax

A short-term excise tax on alcohol distributors and a proposed elimination of the sales tax on wine and spirits are parts of the new state budget plan, scheduled for a hearing by the Rhode Island House Tuesday afternoon starting at 2 pm.

The new excise tax could affect consumers if retailers decide to pass along the cost, though the partial phase-out of the sales tax will likely save shoppers more, according to the Providence Journal.

Rep. Jan Malik, owner of a Warren liquor store, told the Journal that the cost of the new tax on a bottle of wine might be pennies, but the savings from the sales tax would more than offset the cost for buyers.