Jeff Gombosky, a lobbyist for Anheuser-Busch in Olympia, tells PubliCola he has heard a rumor that a beer tax was floated in Olympia on Friday as a revenue source to break the stalemate in Olympia. He has not seen anything official yet, however.

Gombosky said generally Anheuser-Busch does not support singling out one item or industry for taxation (the House has already dropped its proposal for a $30 million gum and candy tax and a $96 million soda pop tax, which actually resurfaced today, has been MIA in both the House and Senate budgets all session). Gombosky says he especially doesn't support the taxation of beer if revenue from the tax pays for something unrelated to alcohol programs.

For instance, if that revenue garnered from a tax on beer goes to pay for early childhood education, Anheuser-Busch would be more likely to fight it than if it went to pay for alcoholism treatment.

The Senate and House have been at odds over how to generate revenue all session, forcing a special session. The Senate wants to raise the general sales tax by two-tenths of one percent, or $200 million this biennium, and increase B&O taxes on service providers, like lawyers and doctors. The House wants a longer list of  B&O tax targets, more closures of tax exemptions (like on banks) and a lower ending fund balance than the Senate. Both chambers have agreed on $800 million in new revenue starting this biennium.

A tax on beer would likely not amount to more than a sliver of $800 million, but it could be used to fund state alcoholism treatment and free up money to be used somewhere else in Washington's social safety net.