ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 12, 2011) – Citing the passage of historic legislation that allows Marylanders to ship wine directly to their homes, a bill that will help foster growth in the state’s burgeoning wine industry, new regulations to aid in the enforcement of tobacco laws, and legislation to create strategic tax credits, Comptroller Peter Franchot today thanked the members of the Maryland General Assembly for their support during the 2011 legislative session. He also expressed particular appreciation for the General Assembly’s commitment to provide his agency with the resources and budget it needs to continue to be a national leader when it comes to tax collection and providing efficient and effective services to the taxpayers of Maryland.
“At a time when the state of Maryland is facing extraordinary fiscal and economic challenges, the Comptroller’s Office must have the tools to reward those taxpayers that are dutifully paying their taxes on time, and identify and collect from those who are not. By supporting our budget, the General Assembly has once again proved to be a supportive partner in our efforts,” said Comptroller Franchot. “I also applaud the General Assembly for working together with the industry to pass a consumer and business friendly direct shipment of wine bill. This measure will be an invaluable tool to our state’s wineries and is also a boon to our state’s wine connoisseurs.”
As the state’s regulator of alcohol products and as the chief fiscal officer of Maryland, the Comptroller has been a strong advocate of the state’s blossoming wine industry. The Comptroller’s Direct Ship Report, released last December, provided a data driven study that demonstrated how direct shipment would be beneficial to the state’s wineries and, based on the experiences of other states, would not harm Maryland retailers or lead to an increase in underage alcohol consumption. Over the past two years, the Comptroller has helped lead the effort to bring together Maryland’s beverage industry and has been a fierce advocate for the wineries. This legislation, coupled with the Maryland Wineries Act of 2010, which together are the most substantive modernization of Maryland’s wine distribution and retail laws in recent memory, will transform the climate in the state for consumers, wineries and other small businesses.
“The passage of the legislation enabling direct shipment of wines is of tremendous importance to the Maryland wine industry. The wineries of Maryland are deeply appreciative of Comptroller Peter Franchot’s support for direct shipment legislation,” said Rob Deford, president of Boordy Vineyards in Baltimore County. “When Mr. Franchot was a candidate for the office of Comptroller office in 2008, he made it clear that he believed the time had come for Maryland to enable direct shipment of wines. This was not a politically popular position at the time, yet he never wavered in his support, and has been instrumental in advocating for the bill in the General Assembly. Furthermore, the study issued by the Office of the Comptroller – the most comprehensive of its kind in the nation – provided a factual basis for evaluating the concerns surrounding direct shipment.”“I salute all the members of the General Assembly and the entire beverage industry that came together to craft a workable and meaningful piece of legislation that will truly make a difference for Maryland’s wineries and consumers,” said Comptroller Franchot. “I am also very proud of my Field Enforcement Division, led by Jeff Kelly, for producing the seminal study on direct shipment and for helping to bring in stakeholders for both sides and helping to build consensus. This legislation will have an immediate and beneficial imp
