By Tove Tupper & Associated Press
 
March 9, 2009
 
MEDFORD, Ore. -- The price of liquor in Oregon will see a temporary increase beginning in April.
 
At an emergency meeting Monday, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission approved a 50 cent  surcharge on all liquor bottles more than 750 milliliters. The tax on anything smaller will be pro-rated.
 
The increase will take affect April 1st, and run through June 30th, the end of the state's fiscal year.    
 
The Oregon Legislature made cuts last week in state agencies as it balanced the current budget, a step lawmakers had to take before undertaking the bigger task for writing a state budget for 2009-2011. They cut the Liquor Control Commission budget $3.8 million. The OLCC was looking to reduce commissions to store agents from anywhere between $500,000 and $1.9 million, which amounts to about 25 percent of the pay the store owners were expecting between now and June 30. 
 
However, the surcharge should help soften the impact, and allow agents to avoid cutting more store hours and jobs.