USA: Beer generates record tax revenue of more than $14.7 million for Tennessee cities in 2005
According to the Tennessee Malt Beverage Association, beer sales for the city of Memphis generated more than $14.7 million in tax revenue in 2005, up $400,000 from $14.3 million in 2004. Shelby County remained unchanged from 2004 at $1.2 million, Memphis Business Journal posted June 23.
Bartlett saw the revenues decrease slightly to $637,225 from $640,439; Collierville's beer tax revenue increased to $412,036, or 5.3 percent from $390,120; Millington increased to $396,100, or 3.3 percent, from $382,802; and Germantown increased modestly to $352,509 from $349,209.
The revenue is generated from a 17 percent Wholesale Beer Tax paid by beer wholesalers and based on a percentage of sales.
Statewide, beer sales generated a record $109 million in tax revenue for Tennessee cities and counties, according to the MBA.
The Wholesale Beer Tax was established in 1954 and has since collected more than $2.3 billion, with a $25 million increase over the last 10 years, the MBA stated in a release.
According to the Beer Institute, the beer industry in Tennessee employs about 14,426 people.
More than $17.2 million was generated by Tennessee's State Barrelage Tax and more than $72.2 million was paid in the Federal Beer Tax in 2005.
At the turn of the century, Memphis was home to dozens of small breweries that were attracted by the city's high quality and plentiful water supply. Early prohibition efforts by the Tennessee Legislature drove many out.
One of the city's last major brewers, Molson Coors Brewing Co., is closing its facility at 5151 E. Raines Road. Plans by City Brewing of Wisconsin to buy the 35-year-old facility apparently fell through after union negotiations were unsuccessful.
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