The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board will meet today to again consider raising the central warehouse bailment fee.
The agenda for today’s meeting lists “Consider increase of the Central Warehouse Bailment Fee” under other business. Such an increase would help cover costs for its new $98 million Montgomery warehouse, the agency says.
The board delayed a vote on the increase at its meeting last month and scheduled it for additional consideration today.
Under the proposal, the per-case bailment fee that liquor suppliers pay while product is stored in ABC’s warehouse would climb from 72 cents to as much as $1.50 per case by 2028 through three incremental increases.
On Wednesday, State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) criticized the proposal as “an after-the-fact” move and a “