§ 28-3-196 — Revenue Loss Phase-Out System

Alabama § 28-3-196

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 28: Intoxicating Liquor, Malt Beverages and Wine
• Ch. 3: Regulation and Control of Alcoholic Beverages in Wet Counties
• Art. 5B: Excise Tax on Beer

Text

(a) When used in this section and in Section 28-3-195(b) and Section 28-3-197, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) BEER TAX ESCROW FUND, or FUND. A fund established with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board as escrow agent funded by payments made by wholesale beer licensees collecting the tax imposed by this article, such payments being made from the discount provided by Section 28-3-190(b). From the fund, the board shall pay to each eligible county the amount or amounts provided by this section for the purpose of phasing out the net revenue loss which would be experienced by eligible counties.
(2) ELIGIBLE COUNTY. Any wet county in which was imposed, as of November 1, 1981, a combined local tax rate on beer in that county which exceeded the uniform tax levied on beer by this article and which would, as a result thereof, experience a decrease in its net local tax revenue collected on beer. In order for any county to become eligible, it must timely file a claim for its loss of net revenue, which claim must be certified by the board as provided in subsection (e) of this section.
(3) BASE YEAR. The year commencing October 1, 1981, and ending September 30, 1982.
(4) BASE YEAR CASES. The number of cases of beer sold within a county during the base year upon which local beer taxes were paid in that county, which number shall be determined by the board.
(5) BASE YEAR NET REVENUE. The actual net revenue realized within a county from combined local beer taxes collected on the sale of the base year cases. Net revenue shall be revenue received from combined local beer taxes, less administrative expenses including but not limited to cost of stamps, discounts or rebates to wholesalers, salary and expenses of beer tax inspectors, and such other costs of collection and administration rendered unnecessary by the provisions of this article.
(6) PROJECTED REVENUE. The amount of revenue derived from the base year cases multiplied by the rate of tax per case levied by this article, after deducting the discount of two and one-half percent prescribed in Section 28-3-190(b). (Base year cases × rate of tax per case - two and one-half percent discount = projected revenue). The foregoing formula is a one-time calculation.
(7) NET REVENUE LOSS, or LOSS OF NET REVENUE. The excess of base year net revenue over projected revenue. (Base year net revenue - projected revenue = net revenue loss).
(8) SUBSIDY. The sum of money paid from the beer tax escrow fund by the board to each eligible county in installments as hereinafter provided totaling 400 percent of its net revenue loss.
(b) There is hereby established a beer tax escrow fund into which shall be paid the total amount of 400 percent of the annual net revenue loss as herein defined and calculated, which loss would be experienced by those eligible counties. This beer tax escrow fund shall be funded by payments from funds provided by the discount permitted by Section 28-3-190(b) made by wholesale beer licensees who collect the uniform tax levied by this article.
(c) All wholesale beer licensees collecting the tax imposed by this article shall pay into the beer tax escrow fund. Such payments are to total a sum equal to 400 percent of the net revenue loss of eligible counties, as determined by the board, and are to be made from the two and one-half percent discount prescribed for wholesale licensees in Section 28-3-190(b), as follows: Wholesale beer licensees collecting the tax imposed by this article shall pay monthly to the board for deposit in and credit to the beer tax escrow fund the sum of two and one-half cents per case for each case of beer received during the preceding month upon which beer tax is paid in this state. Such monthly payments shall commence on November 30, 1982, and shall be paid not later than the last day of each succeeding month and shall continue monthly until the total of the payments made into the fund shall be equal to or exceed the total subsidies to be paid to all eligible counties. The board shall cease collecting payments and shall so notify promptly each participating beer wholesaler when the total of the payments made to the board shall be equal to or exceed the total subsidies to be paid. Upon the payment of subsidies to all eligible counties, any moneys remaining in the fund shall be paid into the supplement beer tax escrow fund, if any, as authorized by Section 28-3-197, or if there is no supplement beer tax escrow fund, then paid into the general fund of this state.
(d) Each eligible county shall be paid 400 percent of its net revenue loss (the difference between base year net revenue and projected revenue) by the board from the fund, as follows:
For the fiscal year commencing October 1, 1982, and ending September 30, 1983, the payment to each eligible county shall be 100 percent of its net revenue loss, or difference between base year net revenue and projected revenue; and for each of the three succeeding fiscal years thereafter, 100 percent of its net revenue loss.
The board shall pay the subsidy to each eligible county on the 15th day of the months of March, June and September of each year an amount equal to one-third of the total annual subsidy payment to be made during that fiscal year; provided, should the fund not contain sufficient money to make any given payment, any deficiency shall be made up in the next succeeding payment or payments.
(e) Any county desiring to assert a claim of eligibility for the subsidy under this section must file its claim with the board within 60 days after September 30, 1982. Upon the filing of such claim, the board shall, within 60 days after the filing of a claim, investigate and determine the eligibility of the claim of said county for subsidy and, if eligible, the amount of its subsidy. The decision of the board on eligibility and the subsidy amount shall be final and binding. No dry county shall be eligible to receive a subsidy on or after the effective date of its becoming a dry county.

Legislative History

(Acts 1982, No. 82-344, p. 473, §7.)