May 22, 2009
Greetings! We hope you are having a principled and joyous week! This week's offerings include encouragement to sign up for our EXPO 2009 which promises to be a great learning experience and the fee proposal that is a part of our 2010 budget.
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In the TTB Newsletter, we compile the top TTB news of the week and other helpful information about the Bureau and the Federal alcohol and tobacco laws and regulations we enforce. Please send any questions and/or comments to Executive Liaison for Industry Matters (IndustryLiaison@ttb.gov) and/or (stateliaison@ttb.com). |
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TTB TO HOLD SECOND INDUSTRY EXPO
On June 24 - 26, 2009, we will hold our second alcohol, tobacco, and firearms ammunition industry conference and expo at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Kentucky, conveniently located in the greater Cincinnati area. The Expo is targeted at industry members, relevant trade associations, consultants, and state government officials. With more than 80 sessions taught by TTB and other government experts, this free 3-day event is dedicated to taking the mystery out of government regulations and procedures. This year's Expo will include more targeted sessions including educational tracks offering various sessions on industry specific topics. Participants will also have the benefit of additional time to network and meet with the experts in their particular fields. We encourage you to register early as attendance will be limited. Additional information and online registration for TTB Expo 2009 is available at:
http://www.ttb.gov/expo/register.html
2010 BUDGET PROPOSAL / FEES
The recently released President's budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 proposes a significant change for TTB funding. In the past, TTB has been funded by Congress through appropriated resources. The FY 2010 budget proposal transforms TTB from an appropriated Bureau to an entity that will generate fees in order to fund its operations. These fees will shift the burden of paying for the services we provide from the general public to the parties in the alcohol industry.
To accomplish this, legislation will be proposed to allow TTB to establish a permanent program for FY 2010 and the future fiscal years, requiring the payment of annual fees from its industry members. The fees will range from $300 to $1,000, and will vary depending on the type and size of the business entity. In general, these fees will support the Bureau's core mission and the funds will be used to continue to provide benefits to retailers, wholesalers, breweries, wineries, distilleries, and industrial alcohol businesses. In particular, TTB's efforts will continue to ensure that alcohol products are not contaminated, misbranded or illegally marketed, and will prevent dishonest persons from entering into the alcohol distribution system.
While this approach has been proposed under the President's budget, the final decision as to the method of funding the Bureau will ultimately rest with Congress. It our belief that non-appropriated funding through an industry targeted fee system will put TTB in a stronger position to move forward with our mission and initiatives in the future.