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This is a series of letters from Claude Bohn about alcohol license fee increase and responses from Commissioner Delahanty and from the Alcohol Commissioner:

Claude Bohn to everyone:

The Louisville Courier-Journal this morning (5/13/01) reports that
Jefferson County plans to increase its alcohol license fees effective
July 1, 2001, in order to "equalize fees with Louisville's before the two
governments are merged..." Well!! I have something to say about this!
First of all, the voters and taxpayers of Louisville/Jefferson County
were told that there would be no tax increases associated with the new
Metro government; once again, it seems we were lied to. This comes as no
surprise, at least to me, as I have long ago developed the ability to
recognize that lying is what politicians do best, and I expected the
worst. This was one of the main reasons why I voted against the merger.
And I fear this seemingly innocuous move will only be the beginning.
I say "seemingly innocuous" because, this increase will - like all such
fees and taxes - be eventually and inevitably passed on to the consumer.
One of the first rules of economics - something all politicians could use
a refresher course in - is, that, BUSINESSES DO NOT PAY TAXES!!! These costs are, of necessity, simply passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices for that particular product and/or service. And, although I am not a big consumer of alcoholic beverages, I resent ANY increase in cost; ESPECIALLY when it is an unnecessary increase due to the rapacity of government officials. And even more so when I was "promised"- by the same said officials - there would be no increase!
The fact that these fees have not been increased "since Harry Truman was
president" is no excuse to raise them. I suppose it never occurred to
anyone involved to reduce the city's fees to the county level and reduce
the size and scope of government, did it? Gotta keep them nests
feathered, right?
As I said earlier, I am appalled but not surprised. In fact, I can't
wait to see what else you people have in store for the taxpayers in the
months and years ahead. I'm sure it will be just as foolish as this; and
that the taxpayers will get EXACTLY what they deserve for voting for this
nonsense in the first place. Give it to 'em good and hard; maybe they'll
finally wake up!

Sincerely,

Claude A. Bohn
6700 Creston Drive
Louisville, Kentucky 40258

Mr. Spellman:

On Tue, 15 May 2001 09:57:45 -0400 Dolores Delahanty
<DDelahanty@co.jefferson.ky.us> writes:
> Dear Mr. Bohn, thanks for your email. The increase in the alcohol
> licensing
> fee is the County Judge's proposal. The Commissioner's have not seen
> the
> ordinance authorizing the increase. We are currently reviewing the
> Judge's
> proposed budget and will take your concerns into consideration. At
> this
> point, you need to convey your message to the Judge. Sincerely
> Dolores
> Delahanty
>

Bohn response to Commissioner Delahanty:

Thank you for replying to my concerns. Rest assured, I HAVE contacted
County Judge Executive Jackson as well. In fact, she received a copy of
the same letter I sent to you.
You might like to contact the Courier-Journal concerning their reporting
on this matter. The impression given in that report was that this is a
done deal. In fact, they even quoted - and I paraphrase here -
Commissioner Maple's comment that, they [license holders] should count
their blessings that the fees had remained so low up until now. Excuse me
but this doesn't SOUND like a comment which would be made by someone who
"hasn't seen the ordinance yet," nor does it sound like a comment from
one who hasn't yet made up his mind. Perhaps it is only you who have not
seen the ordinance yet. At any rate, if what you tell me is true, you
need to contact the Courier-Journal and have them set the record
straight.

Sincerely,

Claude A. Bohn
6700 Creston Drive
Louisville, Kentucky 40258

John Spellman

To:     Tracey Neathery

Subject:     RE: Alcohol Licensing Fee Increase

Dear Mr. Bohn,

I am in receipt of your letter dated May 13, 2001 complaining of the fee increases for alcohol beverage licenses. As noted in your concerns, these fees have not increased since 1948. There are many cost and expenses associated with the regulation of sales, growth and distribution of alcoholic beverages. I assure you this increase was necessary and minimal in proportion to enforcement and regulatory cost incurred by county government. In all fairness, I would ask for your reaction to no increases in salaries and pensions for a comparable time period.

Your objection and expressed opinion is valued and appreciated. Local government officials are very cautious of all forms of tax increases and recognize an obligation to pass only those necessitated by increased expenses on government.

Again, thank you for your comments.

Sincerely,

John T. Spellman

Alcohol Beverage Control Administrator

Jefferson County Government

-----Original Message-----

From:     Tracey Neathery

Sent:     Tuesday, May 15, 2001 9:03 AM

To:     John Spellman

Subject:     FW: Alcohol Licensing Fee Increase

John,

Please respond to Mr. Bohn on behalf of the Judge (and a copy to me).  I have also sent a copy of this message to Steve Haag in the Merger Transition Office, you may wish to speak with him before you answer.   

Tracey

Bohn to John Spellman -

Thank you for responding to my letter - and my concerns - regarding the
planned alcohol licensing fee increase. Since I did not send a copy of my
letter to you I assume someone among the persons to whom I did send it to
forwarded it to you. Regardless, since you have seen fit to reply, I have
some comments regarding your comments.
Your "explanation" for the "necessity" of an increase in licensing fees,
namely, that there have been no increases in those fees since 1948,
leaves me with nothing but more questions. First and foremost is: why
now? After all, by your own admission, these fees have remained at their
present level for 53 years! If they were sufficient last year, and the
year before, and the year before that - which, I must assume they were,
since there has been no increase before now - why are they necessary now?
And why, even given the "necessity" of an increase, should they
arbitrarily be raised to the level of the city's? Is it at least possible
that some level of taxation between what the city charges and what the
county does, some happy middle ground, would be sufficient? It seems as
though no one has even considered the point.
Again, since the voters were told that there would be NO tax increase
associated with merger (and make no mistake, fees are taxes and little
more), this would seem to be a violation of that pledge. Of course, I
suppose it depends on what the meaning of "is" IS, doesn't it?
Additionally, I am aware that there are, indeed, "many costs and
expenses associated with the regulation of sales, growth [?] and
distribution of alcoholic beverages," but I am also wondering why there
NEEDS to be so much "regulation" of a legal product. In my mind, "regulating" and "licensing" people and businesses is little more than a
way for government to control other people's lives and property. These
people - the folks who own and operate businesses that sell alcohol and
alcoholic beverages - are selling a legal product. That product (alcohol)
is already one of the highest taxed substances on the market today. They
should NOT have to be additionally taxed for the "privilege" of doing
business; but this is exactly what "licenses" and "licensing fees" are
all about. Rather than raising these "fees," we should be discussing
eliminating them! Of course, as Carl Brown used to say: "That's just my
own damn opinion; if you don't like it, sue me." Good day!

Sincerely,

Claude A. Bohn
6700 Creston Drive
Louisville, Kentucky 40258