A bill passed by the Pennsylvania Senate would impose a tax on alcohol sales, a move that critics said would hurt the state’s economy.
Sen. David Carter (R-Westmoreland) introduced the bill Tuesday.
The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 27-18.
Senators have a two-thirds majority to pass a tax bill, but Carter said the Senate did not have the 60 votes to override a veto by Gov.
Tom Corbett (R).
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board regulates alcohol sales in the state.
The House passed the bill last month by a 23-14 vote.
The bill would have placed a 5 percent excise tax on every gallon of beer and wine sold, which would have been $1.99.
The tax would have applied to all beer and all wine sold.
The tax would also have applied at a state-level to breweries and distilleries.
The bill would also prohibit local governments from levying a local sales tax.
Carter said he hoped to see the tax bill passed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where the bill has not yet been brought up for a vote.
He said it would also be an issue in the Senate, where Republican Sens.
Larry Krasner and Mark Warner have been lobbying hard to kill the tax.
Krasner is currently the chairman of the Senate’s Finance Committee.
Warner is a member of the committee’s Democratic leadership.
Carter also said he was optimistic the bill would be passed in both chambers.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, which regulates alcohol, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill.
The Pennsylvania Department the Revenue Department is a federal agency, and its chief, Gary R. Sommers, is from the Pennsylvania Department in charge of the state sales tax program.