Lawmakers push for tax changes as bourbon boom continues

FRANKFORT, KY (WAVE) - Bourbon is booming. That was the message of state leaders in Frankfort on Tuesday.

The industry has grown by billions of dollars and just the past few years, but some leaders are pushing for tax changes to help the industry out even more.

The full study presented was about 50 pages and came from University of Louisville's Urban Studies Institute. It said bourbon makes up $8.5 billion of the state's economy which is up $3 billion from just eight years ago.

Governor Matt Bevin joined Republican legislators and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer for the announcement of study.

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Speakers brought up the idea of making bourbon to Kentucky the same thing Napa Valley is to California. The point being tourism is a huge driver.

The big takeaway, though, is taxes might be changed to help the industry.

>> VIDEO: Watch William Joy's report

"One thing I'm pretty confident in saying, and I will just say this publicly, is that I think we're squeezing us fighting of blood from this stone. You can take comfort in that. I think we should take the chance to celebrate this industry, not suffocate it," Gov. Bevin said.

There were no specifics on just how much the tax cut would be, but pointed out bourbon is taxed more than any other industry in Kentucky.

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