Orrall Opposes Proposal to Increase Alcohol Excise Tax [VIDEO]

LAKEVILLE - A task force created by Massachusetts State Treasurer Deb Goldberg is reportedly pushing for an increase to the state's alcohol excise tax.

FOX 25 Boston reports that the proposal is one of 37 recommendations to lawmakers put forward by the task force before the new year. According to the 288-page report from the task force, the proposal to increase the alcohol excise tax by 50% would bring in an additional $41 million in revenue to the state each year.

State Representative Keiko Orrall, who last week announced her run for Treasurer against Goldberg, tells WBSM's Phil Paleologos instead of seeking out more money from taxpayers, the task force should be looking for cost savings.

"It comes back to can we do better within that task force with the resources that we have?" says Orrall. "Why do we need to keep coming back to the taxpayers to say, 'give us more, give us more, give us more?' We need to a better job on our end to be more efficient and to be smarter about using those resources."

State voters repealed a sales tax on alcohol in 2010, after lawmakers passed it the year prior, something Orrall points to as proof that Massachusetts taxpayers don't want any additional fees on their alcohol purchases.

Orrall, a granddaughter of Japanese and Irish immigrants, says she knows what it's like to struggle, and wants that same compassion in the Treasury.

"I think that we need to have that type of leadership that understands the struggles of trying to get by; understands what it's like to come from an immigrant background; to not have the resources. I think it's important to have someone that's just one of us."

Orrall says the leadership of the Treasury should work within their budget instead of trying to increase it.