“We need to move our state out of the 19th century,” Corbett’s campaign website proclaimed. In April, a state lawmaker said, “Government should not be in the business of selling alcohol.”
Pennsylvania is one of only two states to completely control alcohol sales, and in an attempt to lower the $5 billion dollar deficit, the government is looking to sell and privatize the 620 liquor stores in the state to rack in an estimated $2 billion in revenue.
Of course one of the strongest opponents to this proposition is the PLCB's union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776. Certainly some jobs would be lost if the PLCB was abolished, but couldn't they just purchase their very own liquor store?
Better prices, more stores, lower deficit, privatization of business -- sounds good.
If you're interested in learning more about the many reasons why the PLCB should be abolished, check out the blog "No PLCB." From the 18% "emergency tax" on alcohol to the argument that Pennsylvania citizens should be treated like adults, this blog has got the issue covered. It quickly becomes obvious that the PLCB only benefits itself and not the consumer.
Considering prohibition ended a long time ago, so should this stranglehold on alcohol sales. And quite frankly, I think that people are sick of crossing the border to New Jersey to find better prices and selection. In theory, ending the PLCB will ensure Pennsylvanians purchase alcohol from their own state, thus benefiting themselves by lowering the deficit which would lower taxes. Let's hope this works.
Comments
It'd be nice to not have to drive to upstate New York (from Pittsburgh) to find a good selection of reasonably priced wines.
This article so misinformed.
Do you, writer, work for the PLCB? No. You have no clue.
No, I don't. You have a monopoly on alcoholic beverages. You have no right to do that. You are restricting the free market for a few jobs that are unnecessary. That's right. We don't need you! 48 states don't need you!
"worker"- You are an organ of evil. Nothing in this article was "misinformed"; it just offended your authoritarian "sensibilities".
Not only does Ms. Litz have a clue, she has the solution. But I suppose you are afraid you couldn't survive without your State buddies shoving a gun in people's faces on your behalf.
Ms. Litz's "clue" appears to have led her to preach that the very laborers who are NOT being properly represented by the UFCW are in fact singlehandedly responsible for the monopoly! At least, that's what I think she said in her comment to you; I couldn't hear her with Ayn Rand's tit in her mouth.
To worker: no but apparently you do, which is why you wear your bias on your sleeve and I'm sure would love to continue to allow all the state's residents to be misinformed and taken advantage of by pieces of $#it like yourself so that you and those like you without a shred of ingenuity or creativity can simply keep on earning a living because of the presence of a bull$#it state run liquor market. And yes, those of us with any taste in good wine/beer/liquor cross state lines to find a decent selection. What you find in a pa store is pathetic. And the person trying to sell it to you has no interest invested in his product. Some worker once recommended yellow tail to me when I asked him for his idea. God, you suck, a$$#ole.
You ARE misinformed. I guess no one wants to mention that the 500 million dollars profit the PLCB generates for the general fund pays for our entire state police force among other things.. 500 million a year!!! What else will raise that? Selling the stores for 2 billion dollars is laughable. After 4 years, we get nothing from that sale. I agree the jonestown flood tax is rediculous and should be repealed, but like any tax, once its there, its not going anywhere. The selections do generally suck, unless you go to a premium collection store, which you will find good deals there. The Chairman's selection prices are crazy good, and you can check jersey or ny or where ever the hell you want, and you won't be able to beat those prices.
Pennsylvania has some of the best prices on wine in the country. You can check the prices for yourself, we have documented many of them on our blog Philly Wine Finder. There may be other arguments for privatization, but consumers should know that lower prices on wine is not one of them.
www.phillywinefinder.com
The PLCB has been putting out lots of ads lately for their wine . . . all over Pandora.com, radio, etc.
If it is not wrong to sell or consume alcohol, then there is no reason to control it as if it were wrong.
If it IS wrong, then The State is committing an act of wrong by selling it.
Either way The State is wrong to "own" the monopoly.
Wow, what a sexy way of saying nothing at all! How the hell is it automatically "wrong" for the state to control that which is arguably not wrong (a relative and useless term)? According to that logic, the state should not control roads. The state should not control law enforcement and corrections (although I am sure this thread is full of the type of assholes who believe that). I could go on and on.
Face the fact that angry alcoholics are just a very vocal minority. Normal Americans--unless they work in the stores or know someone who does--do NOT have an opinion on this issue. It's time to take a good long look in the mirror and "sober" up to the social pros of liquor control, for those of us who don't make voting decisions based on the proposed ease of buying booze!
@ Worker#2 - At least get your numbers right. The 500 Million you speak of is mostly the 18% Johnstown Flood Tax and the 6% sales tax that would be collected anyway.
The PLCB only returns about 95 million to the state and we can save that just by getting rid of the bloated bureaucracy in Harrisburg, not paying 3.7 million to have somebody come up with "fine wine and good spirits" or how about the smile training. How well that new computer system is working for ya too? Oh, and private stores will pay business tax which conveniently the PLCB doesn't pay. Freedom of choice for 13 million Pennsylvanians or keep the status quo for 4600 PLCB workers. Guess what. You lose.
@AVB... Hahahaha. See how great that freedom of choice works out for you when CVS or Walmart buys 90% of the state store system. I guess you can buy your yellow tail for a dollar less then.
Can we please all be respectful here?
Disgruntled, I am sorry you are not represented. I am sure that nothing the PLCB does is your fault, just your bosses and the top shelf bureaucracy (no pun).
I know it is probably comfortable working where you are now, but your job is morally unsound. I am sorry for that. I am sure you could find another government position that pays just as well, has all the benefits, and Hell, maybe even a union so you get lots of paid time off. None of us like to work.
Since alcohol is #1 abused drug in this country, do you think adding thousands of more booze selling locations is smart, especially in the poorest parts of this state?
Wow... Pa selection you will not find a state to rival the selection that is here. I have personally lived in 8 different states, including Va, Nc, Sc, Fl, Wv, Oh, Ky, and have visited many more. And in none of those state can you walk into any grocery, wine or liquor store and find the selection you find in any of the top 300 stores in Pa.
yeah sure you may be able to find a smaller, different selection, but not the variety that PA has to offer. where else can you go and have over 100,00 choice to choose from between their everyday stocked products, their "luxury", what use to be called specialty, and the countless number of slo items. Not to mention that if the state does not carry a specific product (wine) you can go to their direct wine shippers.
Oh and as far as the revenue goes, every state that has went "private" has lost money, and many never saw the amounts that they actually "sold" the system for.
I have lived with and personally seen the destructive harms that alcohol causes. From a father who died from alcohol and drug abuse, a brother who tried to commit suicide, and a family that was completely and totally destroyed from alcohol.
Privatizing alcohol will not do the citizens of Pennsylvania any good. Alcohol is not a convenience item. It is not a necessity, therefor it should not be treated as such.
I can guarantee that if the system is ever privatized in anyway shape or form taxes will increase, crime will increase, suicides will increase, and many other "harms" related to alcohol will increase as well.
oh and just for shits and giggles I wanna see just how smart you think you are.
POLL:
Who pays the PLCB employees wages, benefits, enforcement, education and various other programs through out the state?
Who is the Nations largest wine and spirits buyer?
During economic hardships, what you do hold on to?
The PLCB generates 750 million dollars a year in state revenue and a lot of that is paid back to the individual towns that allow the liquor stores to operate in them. I dont see how this is a great idea when you have all this money coming in year after year and a lot of small towns depend on this income. What will happen if it is sold is that the towns and the state will put some sort of sin tax on liquor to make up for lost revenue and we will all end up paying more. All the profit that is being made now will be transfered to a private industry who most likely paid to put Corbett in office. This is a loose loose for the state of Pennsylvania and the consumers.
LETS LOOK HOW EASILY THE STATE WENT THROUGH THE RAINY DAY FUND SO FAST, AND ARE ANY OF US ANY BETTER OFF SINCE THEY SQUANDERED THIS FUND? WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD GET RID OF THE CASH COW IN THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLD.
The arguments about how much money the LCB contributes don't tell us much. PA will still be able to tax sales of alcohol if a private system is put in place. And total alcohol sales will likely increase the better distribution and wider section of products that a private system would provide. The question is how much tax revenue can the state maintain while allowing private retailers to keep prices in line with other states, and how does this net tax revenue compare with the current level of net revenue for the LCB. A very large hidden cost that I don't see mentioned is the long term pension and health care costs of the LCB and State Store employees. State employees receive pensions and health care from their retirement until death - this is a very large financial liability for PA taxpayers and it is unclear whether this liability is covered by the LCB before the "net" amount of revenue is provided to the state.
The alcohol sales in PA deposit $500 million dollars into the state treasury annually. If that profit is passed to the private sector the Government of PA will be faced with the task of making up for that sum and can either
A: Cut funding to public services
B: Raise taxes
C: Both A and B.
If the PA Liqueur system is privatized the average taxpayer will be faced with a lower quality of life, and that applies to alcohol consumers as well as non alcohol consumers. If I take the free bridge to Jersey prices are actually higher on many of my favorite hard liqueurs. I don't trust the bureaucrats in Harrisburg to make up for a 500 million dollar deficit without hurting us all in the process.
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