PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — At the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission’s monthly meeting on Thursday, April 20, commissioners discussed a potential increase in the distilled spirits surcharge and the launch of two new dashboards that monitor thefts at state liquor stores and cannabis retailers.
In April 2009, the OLCC implemented a 50-cent surcharge on each bottle of distilled spirits. The commission has renewed the surcharge every other year since then, but soon, that surcharge could double.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek proposed the increased surcharge in her 2023-2025 budget plan.
“The addiction crisis in Oregon has reached historic levels and resources must be prioritized to address the problem,” the plan said. “The Governor’s budget includes an additional $0.50 surcharge on the sale of distilled spirits for the period beginning July 1, 2023, estimated to generate an additional $45.2 million in General Fund revenues.”
The Board of Commissioners will vote on the proposed surcharge at its meeting this June. But before then, the OLCC has asked the public for written feedback and invited them to provide verbal testimonies at commission meetings.
During Thursday’s meeting, spokespeople with addiction recovery organization Oregon Recovers said that “pricing is prevention” — citing a CDC statement that says hiking up alcohol taxes is an effective way to curb binge drinking.
David Ballew, president and CEO of Hood River Distillers, said Oregon-based distilleries have already been affected by factors such as supply chain issues, employee shortages and inflation. According to Ballew, an increased surcharge would further put Oregon distilleries in jeopardy.
In addition to the surcharge discussion, OLCC’s latest meeting focused on the thefts happening at local liquor stores and licensed cannabis businesses.
Last fall, the agency reported that shoplifting claims in liquor stores had gone up over 450% since 2018. Representatives with both the Associated Liquor Store Owners and Cannabis Industry Association of Oregon said that the issue has yet to be solved.
The OLCC has launched two dashboards to monitor criminal activity at the affected businesses, one for liquor stores and one for Recreational Marijuana Program licensed locations.
So far this year, there have been 20 reported thefts at Oregon liquor stores and 52 at licensed cannabis businesses.