I attended the Susan Combs town hall meeting July 9. Very good presentation but when I ask about the TABC mixed beverage tax revenue she said she didn’t know.

Each month every bar and restaurant in Texas pays 14% tax to the state comptroller of public accounts for every beer, wine and mixed drink they sell. I know because I send her a check every year for our National Wild Turkey banquet and will this year for the Mule Deer Banquet. That’s on top of the one day permit I have to buy at $121, went up this year to $151.

After 1 hour of research on the internet, I found the TABC (state comptroller of public accounts) takes in $200 million a year in the 14% tax on alcohol. That’s on top of the license and permits fees, which the first time permit is $6000 for every bar and restaurant in Texas. This is estimated at another $100 million.

I have lived and worked and own property in 5 states and Texas is the highest price on alcohol of any of those states. To give you an idea of the cost, Chili’s in Brownwood pays an average of $6300 per month in mixed beverage tax. This is nothing compared to Dallas, Fort Worth or Houston. Baby Dolls in Dallas paid $72,068.92 last month; Beamers private club in Dallas paid $42,232.68 last month.

Where is all this money going? It should be going to public schools.

-Russell Porter
Brookesmith TX