Senate Vote

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – The 2009 Kentucky General Assembly is increasing taxes on alcohol and cigarettes to address an almost half-billion dollar shortfall in the state budget. Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh has the final vote.

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After passing the House 66-34 earlier this week, the tax bill moved to the Senate, where 23 votes were needed for passage. It got 24, including 12 Republicans. Twelve senators opposed the bill, including two Democrats. One was Lexington Senator Kathy Stein. The other was former Governor Julian Carroll of Frankfort. Carroll says taxing alcohol six-percent at the retail level is unfair to the industry.

"We increased the excise tax in '82 from three cents to nine cents, moving the sales tax to an excise tax."

Shortly after the Senate passed the measure, Governor Beshear signed it into law. As he did so, he called Friday the 13th, "a lucky day." All of the tax increases in the bill take effect April 1st.