NBC12: Virginia distillers push for extended tax relief

NBC12

On Tuesday, an event in Powhatan County focused on Virginia’s booming craft beverage industry.

When bars and restaurants were first forced to close in the spring due to COVID-19, many pivoted to selling spirits to-go and even producing hand sanitizer to try and make up for lost revenue.

Now, some distillers have adjusted to the new normal but the business owners say they have a new hurdle on the horizon. A federal tax cut on distilled spirits enacted in 2017 is set to expire at the end of the year. If it’s not renewed, some say the financial hit could be too much to bear.

Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger is co-sponsor of a tax reform act that would make the tax cut permanent. She was there to meet with the distillers on Tuesday and hear their concerns.