Washington State voters: the joke's on you!
 

We used to have state liquor stores until this year when the voters believed the ads favoring the sale of liquor in grocery stores--and I don't know where else. Drug stores maybe. Costco for sure.

Last year the same measure came on the ballot and we voted it down. This year there was a terrific advertising blitz, paid for, of course, by retailers. The measure passed.

Prices for liquor went up substantially. Doesn't make any difference to me because I don't drink alcohol, but some Spokanites now go over to Idaho to buy liquor--right along with cigarettes and dishwasher soap.

Peg - I've asked that this be moved to the Lounge rather than on the Europe board.

Free market baby - why not for booze as any other 'staple'?\\ = I find your state store monopoly more disturbing than the free market!

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Kentucky law prohibiting grocery and convenience stores from selling wine and distilled spirits is unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II of Louisville said the state law "violates the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause in that it prohibits certain grocery stores, gas stations and others ... from obtaining a license to sell package liquor and wine."

http://www.kentucky.com/2012/08/14/2...uckys-ban.html

Drug stores have been allowed for years, but groceries could only sell beer.

"Prices have gone up".

Well, of course they have. You didn't expect those retailers to pay for that advertising blitz by themselves, did you?

It's the unspoken truth about one of the main reasons why the U.s. economy is in the toilet. Used to be the price of our goods included about 5% for marketing costs. In the past 12 years the marketing-cost side of our goods has gone up to as high as 25% of each item. The marketing-gods like Faith Popcorn and her ilk are laughing all the way to the banks.

Solution simple: switch to cheap wine...I did and now my rash has completely cleared up. They can keep their crummy Jim Beam..I'll show them.

>>some Spokanites now go over to Idaho to buy liquor--right along with cigarettes and dishwasher soap<<

Peg, those Spokanites better be careful.

In many states its illegal to transport liquor like that across state lines without paying the tax.

Not sure about WA, but the PA police used to monitor the NJ liquor store patrons for this and man you would get pulled over the minute you crossed the state line.

Never, EVER allow any government agency to have any sort of monopoly; who knows what they do with all those profits? We already know what private businesses do with them.

Peg,

I'm for private liquor stores for a couple of reasons. Washington state doesn't make any money on liquor sales. They make an operating profit but lose that when you account for public employee benefits and retirement.

A liquor store clerk is about the same skill set as a 7/11 clerk. Paying them state worker wages and benefits was always more than they should have received.

Privatizing means it's all profit for the state now, so that's a positive. Really only the union has a gripe and it's not legitimate to make the taxpayers pay to enrich people who are getting paid more than their job is worth.

The other benefit is liability for serving drunk customers. Washington already had serious liability and criminal responsibility for bars - but not for liquor stores. Now that the stores are private, they can be subject to the same standards as private bars are currently held to.