Washington state liquor monopoly; beginning to crumble? (Seattle, Spokane: buy, luxury)

[70Ford]

Momentum builds to privatize state liquor sales

Article is full of win. Two things stick out. Why is government running a retail operation?

And.... from the article:

Currently, liquor brings in about $320 million in revenue to Washington each year, but a recent report by Washington state Auditor Brian Sonntag found that the state could increase revenue by as much as $277 million over five years if it changed its current liquor model.

In a year when Washington lawmakers are looking to patch a $2.6 billion deficit, Tom said privatization just makes sense.
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Unlike in years past, where it just did not make sense? I've often found, if you reverse something and it holds true, it is most likely true. If you reverse it and you think it looks weird....it probably is...

Ah... 800 union jobs, I get it now. It's not just revenue, it's politics.
It's always politics. At least he said he'd like to save teachers vs. the Union Booze People. That's a plus.

But Democratic leaders, including Gov. Chris Gregoire, have come out strongly against privatization, saying it's not a viable budget solution for the immediate fiscal problem the state is facing. Under the auditor's report, the state wouldn't start seeing savings from the change until 2012. "Our focus is on solving the budget crisis," said Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane.

Um, isn't saving money a good start to solving a budget crisis? Wtf?
DO they think the economy is going to be so very much better in 2012?

Take it from the laymans' point of view. Let's say that if you buy car A you will spend "X" amount of money operating that car for the next 7 years. Let's say you bought car B, and 2 years after it's initial purchase you'd be given 277 million dollars over the next five years. Dude, seriously. Am I the only one who thinks this is a no brainer?

[cdelena]

IMO the state should not be in the liquor (or any other) business... most states allow private enterprise to sell liquor with government regulation. With the high cost and questionable efficiency of government operations we should let private enterprise fully operate where possible and even contract to private business for most work (if we can do it in a competitive fashion without mandating high wages).

[azoria]

It would be a dream come true if the state went out of the retail liquor business, a dream.

Washington state liquor stores are the closest thing I've found in the US that resemble Soviet style shopping and customer service.

Their stores are crappy and run down, their employees surly and rude, and the selection of liquor available is determined by the state. It's enough to make Kruschev proud.

Absolutely the worst stocked, run, and managed business I've had the displeasure of doing business with in Washington.

Make my day Washington, privatize retail liquor.

[j_k_k]

This is one of those rare cases where privatization makes complete sense to me. They'd still get their taxes, plus they'd get the revenue from selling off the business. It's a non-essential service, a luxury item, on which other states and Indian reservations eat our lunch. There's no good reason to continue having Soviet liquor stores--I too have had exactly that thought as I looked upon the bland signage, bland selection and bland attitude.

[Fat Freddy]

I think the state should not only stay in the booze business, but open casinos, brothels, sex shops, and opium dens.

Booze, gambling, sex, and drugs have always been big money makers and I’m sure the politicians, with their specialized experience, can do just as good of job running it as the gangsters and pimps.

And, some of the money might actually make it into the state treasury

[Ira500]

Pimp Daddy Gregoire?

[HeyHolliday!]

It wont happen. For the Washington State government to make a good financially sound decision would be asking to much.

[Ira500]

But it's not like the state liquor stores actually lose money. They make money. How could they not, when they bar competition?

[70Ford]

http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_me...vitization.pdf

What an initiative submitted for privatization might look like.

It needs 300,000 signatures.

[CarlB328]

I don't think it has anything to do with unions. I think the state controls liquor because when Seattle was settled it imported lots of blue collar type people to log, mine, build railroads etc and they probably wanted to limit their rowdiness.