Privatizing PA alcohol sales

[JeffDFD]

Just saw the tail end of this on the news. Anyone have move info?

It sounded like Corbett is going to shut down the state stores, sell unlimited beer/wine licenses, and auction off a certain number of liquor licenses.

[viva la ben]

That would be incredibly awesome.

[JS©]

Just saw the tail end of this on the news. Anyone have move info?

It sounded like Corbett is going to shut down the state stores, sell unlimited beer/wine licenses, and auction off a certain number of liquor licenses.

[Shyster]

That’s been the plan for quite a while. Whether it can actually pass is another matter. Even though Republicans are generally in favor of privatization and they currently control both houses of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, organized labor has a surprisingly large influence over some members of the Republican caucus (especially Republican state legislators from the eastern half of the state), and the unions are strongly opposed to the privatization plan because all of the current state-store employees are unionized.

[Jopaz]

I realize that this has been tried and failed in the past, hopefully it gets some traction this time. Even a partial change, like moving wine and beer sales to grocery stores, and letting beer distributors sell wine and 6-packs, would be a good start. The state can keep the hard liquor sales for now and gradually phase that out as the leases on the stores expires.

What the opponents of privatization fail to understand is that there is a real conflict of interest for the Liquor Control Board to be both the controller and the vendor of alcohol sales. They are asked to restrict alcohol sales but have to market their products to make money. And, it was never meant to be a state jobs program although that argument is always brought up.

[Kraftster]

If it means that I can order from letspour.com, I will be quite pleased.

[columbia]

Well, it's also crazy that you can't walk into a corner store and buy beer.
I was back in PA (Philly) about a year ago and paid $10 for a sixer of Yuengling at the corner bar....that's ridiculous.

That's all on the tavern owners and beer distributors and nothing to do with unions.

[shafnutz05]

That's all on the tavern owners and beer distributors and nothing to do with unions.

Yeah, but they wouldn't have the proverbial "six pack monopoly" if it wasn't for the unions being so adamantly against privatization:

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/01/governor_corbett_liquor_privat.html

“Why do we continue to deal with an antiquated liquor system that is 75 years old? The question should be 'Why don't we have choice? Why don't we have convenience like the other 48 states in the union?'” Corbett said.

Utah is the only other state that sells alcohol the way Pennsylvania does. Over the next four years, Corbett said, the sale of retail and wholesale licenses would raise an estimated $1 billion.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/01/liquor_privatization_pennsylva.html

The most vocal opponent against efforts to privatize Pennsylvania's liquor system has been the labor union.

Just like it has in the past, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 isn't about to back down on its fight, even as Governor Tom Corbett has thrown his full support toward getting Pennsylvania out of the business of selling alcohol.

“It's pretty clear there's not a lot of support. I think he's out of touch with Pennsylvania,” said Wendell W. Young IV, president of the UFCW 1776, which represents about 3,000 state liquor store employees.

The above quote is why so many people hate unions. For them to actually say that the governor is out of touch with PA is absolutely hilarious. The only other state that is as idiotic about liquor sales is UTAH. Pennsylvanians have been begging for this for years. The only thing Wendell W. Young IV cares about is the power of his own union.

[shafnutz05]

To add, the most recent Philly Inquirer poll indicated that two-thirds of the state of Pennsylvania endorses privatization. In other words, Wendell W. Young is full of crap.

[Shyster]

Most of the anti-privatization arguments are, IMO, unpersuasive. First, there’s the argument that the current state-store system makes a bunch of money for the state, so it should be left alone. But the state would still get tax money from the private sale of alcohol, and if the state-store system makes money, then why shouldn’t the government be running every profitable business? For example, the sale of gasoline makes plenty of money, so under the same logic we should have the Commonwealth condemn and seize every gas station in the state. We could call them all “Gas & Diesel Stores.” Each one would be manned by union workers.

Second, there’s the argument that we need the trained union workforce of the current state stores in order to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors. Proponents of this argument seem to believe that private stores would sell bottles of Jack to toddlers. But private businesses are already plenty diligent about alcohol sales. For example, I get carded every single time I buy beer at Giant Eagle, even though I’m plainly over 21. It’s their policy to scan everyone’s driver’s license. OTOH, I haven’t been carded in a state store in years. For me, Giant Eagle is doing a better job of policing my alcohol purchases than the government is.

[columbia]

All of that might be true, but it is also in the great interest of the other two groups for this to not happen.....and they have lobbied for retaining the restrictive laws for years.

The unions aren't the only bogeyman in the equation.

[shafnutz05]

But private businesses are already plenty diligent about alcohol sales. For example, I get carded every single time I buy beer at Giant Eagle, even though I’m plainly over 21. It’s their policy to scan everyone’s driver’s license. OTOH, I haven’t been carded in a state store in years. For me, Giant Eagle is doing a better job of policing my alcohol purchases than the government is.

I have noticed this at Wegman's. I get carded every...single....time. I never get carded at state stores or distributors. Their argument that the state is more responsible is a joke.

[Willie Kool]

To add, the most recent Philly Inquirer poll indicated that two-thirds of the state of Pennsylvania endorses privatization. In other words, Wendell W. Young is full of crap.

In his defense, I think it's likely that the vast majority of feedback he personally receives through his professional and social circles is anti-privatization. I can see him truly believing it.

[ulf]

All of that might be true, but it is also in the great interest of the other two groups for this to not happen.....and they have lobbied for retaining the restrictive laws for years.

The unions aren't the only bogeyman in the equation.

Jim Furyk is the main bogeyman as far as I'm concerned.

[Willie Kool]

For example, the sale of gasoline makes plenty of money, so under the same logic we should have the Commonwealth condemn and seize every gas station in the state. We could call them all “Gas & Diesel Stores.” Each one would be manned by union workers.

Personally, I'd be all for it if they made them true 'service stations' again.

Spoiler:

[pensfan1989]

For example, the sale of gasoline makes plenty of money, so under the same logic we should have the Commonwealth condemn and seize every gas station in the state. We could call them all “Gas & Diesel Stores.” Each one would be manned by union workers.

Personally, I'd be all for it if they made them true 'service stations' again.

Spoiler:

The average service station makes something like $.04 per gallon of gas. Most of the money is made in the store with chips and the like.

[columbia]

And a lot of beer, if you're not in PA.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

What kind of service are we talking about?

[Willie Kool]

What kind of service are we talking about?

Tune-ups, oil changes, brake relining, engine rebuilds, rebuild some trannies, rear ends...

Spoiler:

[mac5155]

She was (is) so hot in that movie.

[PghSkins]

What kind of service are we talking about?

rebuild some trannies rear ends...

Yeah, I was afraid that was what we were talking about.

[PghSkins]

To add, the most recent Philly Inquirer poll indicated that two-thirds of the state of Pennsylvania endorses privatization. In other words, Wendell W. Young is full of crap.

I'd be shocked if it was that low. I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone against privatization- and I talk to a lot of union people at work every day. Not UFCW, mostly IBEW, but still....

[mac5155]

Liquor store clerks make like 40 grand a year do they not?

[Factorial]

Is 40K a good salary?

[shafnutz05]

Is 40K a good salary?

For a store clerk? It's a damned great salary.

Especially considering the fact that said salary applies state-wide. I can't imagine making $40k in Altoona. I'd be ballin'