By Vince Phillips
Colorado lawmakers are currently considering HB26-1271, the Alcohol Impact & Recovery Enterprises Act. This bill would impose what industry leaders accurately describe as a 60% increase in excise fees on manufacturers and wholesalers of beer, cider, apple wine, spirits, and wine distributed in the state. It creates three new “enterprises” under the Behavioral Health Administration to collect these fees directly from producers and distributors. The revenue would fund dedicated alcohol impact and recovery services, addiction treatment, mental health programs, and behavioral health initiatives tied to alcohol-related harms, bypassing TABOR voter approval by labeling it a “fee” rather than a tax.
As president of the Colorado Distillers Guild and owner of Wood’s High Mountain Distillery in Salida, Chaffee County Commissioner P.T. Wood has been vocal in his opposition. His own words, published in the Ark Valley Voice on February 23, 2026:
“Tourists from around the world come to Colorado to taste what we’re making. But, with the highest cost increases in generations and unprecedented challenges, this massive tax increase will only make it harder for us to invest in and create jobs for our local communities, let alone survive another season.” He and the broader industry coalition warn of job losses (threatening 131,000 statewide alcohol-related jobs and $22 billion in economic activity), higher consumer prices, business closures amid inflation and post-pandemic struggles, and damage to Colorado’s tourism appeal.
These arguments sound remarkably familiar because they are the exact same ones raised by the businesses, residents, and workers most impacted by the three major tax increases P.T. Wood has aggressively supported as Chaffee County Commissioner.
Here are the three attempts, with his own quoted support and the public objections that mirrored his current stance against the distillery tax:
November 2024 – Ballot Issue 6A: New 0.5% county-wide sales tax for Chaffee Housing Authority (plus 6B to remove TABOR limits)
P.T. Wood’s guest opinion in the Ark Valley Voice: “I am asking for a yes vote on 6A and 6B… I understand it is a big ask to support a new tax, but… housing is one of our valley’s biggest problems… The second would cost 50 cents per $100 spent by everyone, including visitors… I see it as an investment in our friends, neighbors and community.”
Public objections that echoed the distillery tax concerns: Regressive tax that raises the cost of living for everyone, especially fixed-income residents and small businesses; hits retail, tourism, and local jobs hardest; unnecessary given CHA’s existing grants and lack of results; removes voter accountability via TABOR. (It failed 39% yes.)
November 2025 – Ballot Measure 1A: Tripling the county lodging tax from 1.9% to 5.9% (a 210% increase on the county portion)
As Board Chair, Wood led the effort, approved the ballot language, and defended it publicly: “The state doesn’t give us a lot of ways to raise revenue… We’re limited… property taxes don’t provide funding for things like roads and bridges, or for public safety.” After voters rejected it (58% no), he said: “We are obviously disappointed that a 4% increase in our lodging tax that would have generated about $3.3 million, to be used for roads and infrastructure, public safety, and to help our municipalities support childcare, affordable housing… did not pass.”
Public objections that echoed the distillery tax concerns: Would hurt local jobs and businesses, lower overall sales tax revenue, turn away visitors and make Chaffee less competitive (pushing combined rates near NYC levels); bad timing in a weak tourism economy with inflation; unfair to the tourism sector forced to pay for broad county needs without new services; elastic pricing would reduce demand. (Opposed by Chaffee County Business Alliance; funded opposition raised $54k+; failed.)
2026 Legislative Session – Support for state bill HB26-1036 allowing local vacancy taxes on often-vacant/second homes
Wood joined other mountain-county commissioners urging passage, stating the current limited tax tools “just don’t get it done” and highlighting Chaffee’s high percentage of non-primary residences.
Public objections that echoed the distillery tax concerns: Would deter buyers and developers, raise housing costs, create uncertainty that scares off investment and construction jobs; unfair burden on property owners who already pay taxes; violates property rights and invites lawsuits; harms Colorado’s attractiveness to the very visitors and part-time residents who fund much of the local economy. (Bill failed in committee.)
Textbook hypocrisy?
When the tax threatens his own distillery business, P.T. Wood suddenly discovers the virtues of protecting small businesses, jobs, tourism, competitive disadvantage, and “unprecedented challenges.” Yet when he pushes taxes on lodging operators, second-home owners, or every shopper in the county (including visitors he now claims to protect), those identical concerns from affected parties are dismissed as mere “speculation” or the complaints of “a handful of tourism-driven businesses.”
Compounding this is his consistent frustration with TABOR itself. In county budget documents and public statements, Wood has repeatedly complained that “TABOR… limits our options to raise revenue” and hampers the county’s ability to fund essentials without workarounds.
He personally endorsed de-TABORing the Chaffee Housing Authority via Ballot 6B (to let it retain excess revenue without refunds) and supported a metropolitan district as a post-TABOR financing tool for infrastructure. These mechanisms allow governments to sidestep TABOR’s voter-approval and revenue caps, exactly the kind of “fee” enterprise structure he now criticizes in HB26-1271 when it targets alcohol producers.
The pattern is clear: rules for thee, but not for me.
P.T. Wood owes the community straight answers on all of this. But more immediately: When, Commissioner Wood, are you going to comment publicly on your false fire report from January 22, 2026, the 911 call you placed at 8:04 p.m. describing a “pretty good fire” and “large fire” with visible flames and smoke at the Calco building, which responders found to be unfounded? 911 audio here. Ignoring it will not make the issue go away, especially as you seek re-election.
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent. 