I-1183 Liquor Initiative

[bigtex]

Pretty simple. This is the second year in a row that a privitizing liquor initiative will be on the ballot. Both proposals failed last year.

Something that is different with this initiative then the previous years is that most convenience stores will not be able to sell liquor. It will mainly be your big stores. The deciding factor is square footage. If your store is over a certain square footage you can sell liquor. So your local 76, unless it is a large store will still not be able to sell it. However there still are some big gas station/convenience stores that do meet that size requirement

[bigtex]

I personally will be voting no. I have several issues regarding enforcement.

[Tinner]

I personally think the State has no business in the Liquor business.

[Atroxus]

 

[CP]

The state has no business in any business.  Unless you believe Carl:


How’d that work out for the USSR?

[Mr56Jeep]

I didn't read it.... so this is probably a dumb question.... But would the quickie marts still be able to sell beer and wine?

[bigtex]

I didn't read it.... so this is probably a dumb question.... But would the quickie marts still be able to sell beer and wine?

Has nothing to do with beer or wine. Just simply liquor that is currently sold at the liquor stores.

[jbeaumont21]

Its my understanding that a majority of the profits from the state run liquor stores goes towards our public schools and if the initiative passes then it would mean less money towards education just so that it is more convenient to buy booze.  If that is true then I know how I am voting. 

[bigtex]

Its my understanding that a majority of the profits from the state run liquor stores goes towards our public schools and if the initiative passes then it would mean less money towards education just so that it is more convenient to buy booze.  If that is true then I know how I am voting.

The money goes to several different places. In Fiscal Year 2011 the Liquor Control Board distributed $425.7 million to several different entities:

-$345 M to the General Fund which funds most state agencies HOWEVER the biggest "user" of the General Fund is K-12 education which is federally mandated
-$71 M to cities and counties
-$8.2 M to education and enforcement
-$1.5M research

http://liq.wa.gov/about/fy2011return

[B.G.hunter]

I personally think the State has no business in the Liquor business.

The state has no business in any business.  Unless you believe Carl:


How’d that work out for the USSR?

 

[Wea300mag]

A big YES vote for me.

I believe in personal responsibility. I DON'T believe all the scare tactics I see on the TV commercials for the NO voters. We wouldn't have to worry about enforcement so much if the penalties for breaking the law were more substantial.

[bigtex]

We wouldn't have to worry about enforcement so much if the penalties for breaking the law were more substantial.

And that's my big issue. The penalties for the violations regarding minors and alcohol are pathetic. If the legislature were to stiffen the penalties I would vote yes.

[Chukar]

The penalty for selling/serving alcohol to a minor is a 5000 dollar fine. Up to a year in jail. And a criminal record. How more aggressive should the law be?
This initiative is about major retailers making major money. That's what is pushing the buttons. Smaller retailers will get squeezed out. And where is the money gonna come from that the state doesn't see anymore ? Too many holes to go yes.

[Boss .300 winmag]

 

I personally think the State has no business in the Liquor business.

 

[bigtex]

The penalty for selling/serving alcohol to a minor is a 5000 dollar fine. Up to a year in jail. And a criminal record. How more aggressive should the law be?

You couldn't be more wrong.

My friend is a Enforcement Officer for the Liquor Control Board. The fine for selling/serving/providining alcohol (no difference for a clerk or a 21 yr old giving a beer to a kid at a party) is UP TO $5,000 and/or a year in jail. He has told me that probably 98% of the cases his agencies have end up with less then a $250 fine and many times result in a deferal which basically means no fine and be a good boy for 6-12 months and this all goes away, including no criminal record. This officer says every year they have around 20 people who are cited and they learn they have been cited for this offense before. This is the same penalty for underage drinking. I know many kids that got MIP's nobody got over a $500 fine.

In the state of California if you are found guilty of serving to a minor you face a MINIMUM $1,000 fine (no minimum in WA). Your business also loses liquor license for a minimum of 14 days for the first violation, in WA it is a $500 fine for the store.

Two years ago 4 republican house members wanted to institute a $500 minimum for selling to minors in WA, it never made it out of comittee. If there was a minimum fine of atleast $500 I would have no problem privitizing liquor.