Franklin County is home to the state capitol, barrel warehouses belonging to Jim Beam and Buffalo Trace, and a new judge-executive. Michael Mueller took office in January and said he lobbied against House Bill 5, which Governor Beshear signed into law last month. Mueller said he doesn’t understand the timing of the bill.
“Why push this, you know, because they're making record profits right now. So, is it to bring new bourbon, you know, entrepreneurship into Kentucky? And if it is, my answer was, Well, why not just make something for them, like the first 10 years, they don't pay a barrel tax.”
Mueller said the Franklin county government received $830,000 in barrel taxes last year, some of which funded the fire departments that would be called upon if a warehouse fire breaks out.
“I think, couple years ago, we saw that happen in Anderson County with Wild Turkey. And I mean, that ended up in the river, I mean, that affected multiple counties. So, you know, I know the percentages or something like that happening are slim. But when and if they do have been, I mean, that's a huge, huge deal.”
Opponents of House Bill 5 bill did manage to alter the legislation as it moved through the General Assembly. HB 5 phases out the barrel tax over the next 20 years, rather than the earlier schedule in the original bill.
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