‘Not elected by the distilleries.’ Bourbon barrel tax cut passes House despite pushback

Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa asked the legislators of the House Appropriations & Revenue Committee on Monday to look at the Kentucky state flag behind them, specifically pointing out the two men in the center who are pictured shaking hands. He said the tax on stored spirits known as the ‘bourbon barrel tax,’ which many officials who testified before the committee said was a lifeline for their local governments, was a handshake agreement between local communities and the bourbon industry. He said House Bill 5 would break the promise of...