Hospitality License Fees to Supplement Shrinking Tax Revenue?

With state revenues shrinking, many state and local agencies—especially those regulating the hospitality industry—are looking for increased fee mechanisms to bolster their budgets. This can lead to unforeseen and unneeded red tape, often unrelated to spending needs. One example is Oregon's SB 604, which would re-create "salesperson licenses" for individual employees and contractors of wineries, breweries and distilleries whose products are sold to on-premise and/or off-premise retailers in the state…this after the same Oregon Liquor Control Commission only a few years ago encouraged the state legislature to eliminate salesperson licenses from its statutory scheme, in an effort to streamline and do away with unnecessary process. Wineries, breweries, and distilleries are already legally accountable for the actions of their employees and contractors. But with the prospect of the proposed $200 per license (2-year term), the agency must be deciding that streamlining isn't really that great after all.