Salt Lake Telegram | 1949-05-21 | Page 2 | Official Back Liquor Share

J Bak BakI Ck I liquor Sh Share Anticipating a legal opinion on rela relation lion of federal liquor taxes and the mandatory statutory markup on liquor prices in Utah Gov Go J. J Bracken Lee and Mayor Earl J. J Glade moved Saturday to protect cities' cities and counties counties' share of the I liquor profits Atty Gen Clinton D. D Vernon was still working on the opinion requested 10 days ago by the governor governor governor gov gov- on the question of whether the markup could be applied to the wholesale price without regard to the added cost of 9 per pr proof prof of gallon which at present is is considered part of the wholesale i price paid by the tile state The markup by law is 55 on whiskey but may be higher within the discretion of the liquor control commission State law also provides that cities and counties shall receive up to in excess of the first of profits annually Last year the profits ran nearly over the and the additional sum reverted to the state general fund which is also I required under the state law I Mayor Glade of Salt Lake City promised to resist any move which would result resul t in loss of reve- reve flue lue to cities and counties from the liquor profits He declared he will vill also enlist the aid of more than 1150 other Utah cities sharing in inthe inthe inthe the profit profitS plan Gov Lee also promised that should the ruling of the attorney result in lowering of the price of liquor to the consumer the price will not be cut to the extent that the kickback to cities and counties will be jeopardized The object of the reduced price if f made is not to benefit the consumer consumer consumer con con- sumer alone but to cut the practice practice practice tice of bootlegging liquor from surrounding states where it can cane be e purchased cheaper q e.-q explained the governor If increased sales due to the stopping of bootlegging does not l keep profits high enough to produce produce produce pro pro- duce the which goes to cities and counties the liquor commission commission com corn mission would w simply raise the percentage percentage percentage per per- of markup Mayor Glade noted that with the streamlining of the state enforcement enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- ment setup by the liquor control commission cities and Aunties are bearing the burden of protection protection protection tion to the public incident to the sale of alcoholic beverages I see no sense in reducing the cost of liquor to the consumer who after all should pay the freight on enforcement said the mayor