There are certainly valid arguments both for and against the implementation of a poured drink tax, many of which have been discussed already. What hasn't been discussed, particularly by the Borough Council members who stand to make the decisions, is exactly where the money will go.
One group that currently bears a large burden in dealing with the problems that alcohol can cause is our local emergency medical services agencies. A significant amount of resources are devoted to assessing intoxicated persons who, in many cases, refuse care without transport to the hospital. While patients are billed for medical transports, the large number of patient refusals eats away at operating budgets without any recoupment from the largely student population that is the source. Should the drink tax be approved, I hope that Elizabeth Goreham and her colleagues on the Borough Council see fit to turn over some of the proceeds to the one group of emergency services in State College that receives no taxpayer funding.
Matthew Bisgaier
paramedic
senior-science
