FET BILL ONE PAGE TALKING POINTS

[Ralph at Tuthilltown]

Please download and review the attached one page description of the bill being prepared which, when passed, will reduce the FET rate for the first 100,000 proof gallons of your production by 80%.

craft spirits parity one pager 73013.pdf

[bradocaster]

Nice work, just in time for our town hall meeting. Thanks!

Brad

[Ralph at Tuthilltown]

Thanks Brad. What about the rest of the craft distillers? Are you all on the phone with your Congressmen/women and Senators, are they all on your calendars for a visit to your distilleries? Have you primed all you employees with the reasons they are important to the economy? It is unlikely that Legislators will set aside enough time, if at all, to visit more than one distillery site; so any one who succeeds in getting their Legislator to agree to come to the distillery and learn about craft distilling should reach out to all the distillers in their State and make sure they are there in force, with their tax paying, VOTING employees to make the point. Come on folks, this is going to save you a ton of money if we're successful. GET TO WORK.

[VintageCocktailing.com]

Another approach is to be proactive in the local, state, and federal level anyways. As much as we would like to think that craft distillers are independent and autonomous, the legal and political scene dictates to much to warrant a little-to-no-involvement approach. Building those relationships takes time! I understand that we cannot all be full-fledged lobbyists, but we can continue to remind our leaders that the decisions they are making impact us, and vise-versa.

[Ralph at Tuthilltown]

The most effective lobbyist is the one who is a True Believer in the cause they're pitching. It's your business, your staff, your distillery; no one will be as passionate and dedicated to increasing its potential for success then you will. Give me engaged activist constituents over high paid lobbyists any political day of the week. State or Federal level, get on the phone, type a letter and mail it or Express it to your State and Federal Legislators. Make the introduction, then keep up a regular correspondence describing the wonderful things that Craft Distillers are doing for your home State and for the National Economy. It does take time, persistence, tenacity and determination but it IS possible to move the wheels of government even if only in small incremental steps. First step is to let them know you exist, you pay taxes and you vote.