**News Release***
‘Big Liquor Prevails Again in Tennessee’
Tennessee Pastors Network President Dale Walker Responds to Jack Daniel’s Tax Exemption
NASHVILLE—The leader of the Tennessee Pastors Network (TNPN, www.tnpastors.net) is speaking out against the law signed recently by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam that would continue to exempt whiskey distillers in Tennessee from paying property taxes on their barrels, according to the USA Today Network.
The proposal was overwhelmingly approved in the legislature and arose after a local audit found that barrels owned by Lynchburg-based Jack Daniel’s were taxable. The company said it had not paid property taxes on its barrels since the end of Prohibition and would have had to pay nearly $3 million this year if the tax was imposed.
“Big Liquor prevails again in Tennessee,” said TNPN President Dale Walker. “Tennessee Republicans, the party of Big Liquor, continue to insult the voters with tax cuts to Jack Daniel’s Distillery at a time when Tennesseans are paying higher fuel taxes because of the Improve Act. These same Republicans voted for tax benefits for Big Liquor and yet taxed the poor, working families of Tennessee with higher fuel taxes every time they go to the pump.
“Big Liquor doesn’t deserve any tax breaks with the havoc that alcohol wreaks on our society,” Walker continued. “We are already in an addiction crisis. The Republicans who voted for this law must all be drunk and have forgotten their vow of ‘so help me God’ to uphold the Constitution. Politicians use ‘God’ to get elected and then are influenced by powerful liquor lobbyists to pave the way for more profits for Big Liquor that only help destroy our Christian culture and ruin the lives of our citizens. Sales on Sunday and now tax cuts—only the devil knows what’s next for the party of Big Liquor!”
TNPN was also active in opposing recent legislation to allow wine and liquor sales in the state on Sundays. That measure was also signed by Gov. Haslam just over a month ago.
Another commentary in the Memphis Daily News reported that Jack Daniel’s has pushed two major pieces of legislation in the past few years, and that the Tennessee Attorney General even questioned the legality and constitutionality of the law providing the tax exemption.
TNPN is a state chapter of the American Pastors Network (APN, www.americanpastorsnetwork.net), the largest national network dedicated to equipping pastors to be a voice for truth in the public square.
TNPN and APN offer pastors numerous online resources that help clergy choose sermon topics and find information for other church ministries. With some free and some paid resources, topics include abortion, apologetics, creation, the culture crisis, economics, education, the environment, history, homosexuality, Islam and marriage, along with many others.
The Tennessee Pastors Network encourages pastors to bring together biblical and constitutional principles in their sermons and provides resources to pastors throughout the state. For more information on TNPN, visit its website at www.tnpastors.net, its Facebook page or call (931) 260-5301.
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