Cheap beer: Venue and arena shopping and Wisconsin sin tax

This thesis highlights a case study conducted on agenda-setting and the recent attempts by legislators and supporting interest groups to increase the excise tax on beer produced in Wisconsin. Drawing on the "venue shopping" literature, the analysis examines how political actors "sell" their policy solution (a beer tax increase) to the citizens of Wisconsin through their legislative representatives. In addition to performing a content analysis of media coverage concerning the beer tax increase over the last five years, in-depth interviews were conducted with each legislator who either authored or supported Assembly Bill 287. After analyzing the data, the research indicates there is growing momentum toward increasing the beer tax in Wisconsin. The evidence shows legislators and policy advocates rely on two main strategies to shop or sell a beer tax increase (AB 287) to the public and their legislative representatives. The first strategy is to emphasize the needed economic gains in state revenues the tax increase would bring. Second, by framing the beer tax as a "sin tax", policy actors are attaching their policy solution to the growing public concern with the social costs incurred from alcohol-related tragedies in the state of Wisconsin. Finally, by relating the findings of this case study to the work of Sarah Pralle on venue shopping, it appears that future studies in this area should draw a clear distinction between the concepts of policy "venues" and "arenas.".