Booze Boss Addresses Press

County Press (Suburban Philadelphia ^ | 3-8-05 | William W. Lawrence

[Temple Owl]

Second Thoughts 3-9-05

By: William W. Lawrence

Jonathan H. Newman, chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, told members of the Delaware County Press Club at the group's recent monthly meeting that getting a state liquor store in Media is a priority.

Talk about bureaucratic planning! The one on State Street was shuttered on New Year's Eve.

He promised to keep on looking until they find a good spot.

Meanwhile, many good Medians (Medites?) will make the 20-minute drive to the Tri-State Mall in Delaware to buy their Merlot and Chianti and then smuggle it back into Pennsylvania.

Newman does not feel that the privatization of our precious booze emporiums is going to come to pass. The $1.3 billion of sales brings the state $325 million each year.

He said there are strong benefits to being the largest single buyer of potent potables, but that does not include lower prices for consumers.

He blamed Pennsylvania's taxing structure as the reason for higher prices than those of our enlightened neighbors in Delaware and New Jersey. He pointed to the "temporary" 18 percent Johnstown flood tax as an example.

He suggested going to local legislators if you want a change. We'll second that. At least do away with a silly stipulation that makes it a crime to buy your wine out of Pennsylvania.

***

On this, our third of 21 weeks to help The Philadelphia Inquirer restore the Democratic Party to its former luster, we urge an all-out campaign by the Democrats and Inquirer editorial writers for a flat tax.

[Temple Owl]

I go to the Tri-State Mall in Wilmington for my essentials.

[Temple Owl]

Ping

[bmwcyle]

An outdated over bloated government system.

[Temple Owl]

Amen!

[Sarastro]

I remember standing outside a state liquor store in Pennsylvania in a driving rain just a few minutes before the posted opening time. The clerk stood behind the counter with folded arms watching me get drenched, but would not unlock the door until the big hand hit the twelve. When I got inside, they didn't have the wine I wanted, but generously offered to buy it for me in case lots. Why this vestige of socialism persists in Pennsylvania, I can't imagine. It's not because they make money off it -- they don't. Think of it: losing money on a monopoly to sell alcohol! The essence of socialism in a nutshell.

[Temple Owl]

Newman does not feel that the privatization of our precious booze emporiums is going to come to pass. The $1.3 billion of sales brings the state $325 million each year.

I think they'd make a lot more if they ever became competitive. Pennsylvania politics sucks!

[Redbob]

"...our third of 21 weeks to help The Philadelphia Inquirer restore the Democratic Party to its former luster..."

Gonna take lots more than 21 weeks!

[Temple Owl]

Let's help all we can. The left-wing liberal Inquirer ran 21 straight endorsements for Kerry during the presidential campaign. The editorial staff is against anything good for the country.
Maybe we can get them to endorse Dubya's Social Security plan. LOL.

[bmwcyle]

Growing up in PA, I always ask why they did not take it out of the government's hands. I always got the same answer, " They don't want to loose all the money". I always replied. "If you fire all the State Store workers and tax the liquid you would take in more taxes."

[sinanju]

I got a valuable history lesson in a Weekly Standard article back in '00. It was about the tobacco deals and its theme was that they essentially made the state partner in the cigarette business. The comparison was made to state-run lotteries and (Nevada) state-run knocking shops but mostly to the seventeen states that sell booze. Apparently, at the end of prohibition certain states had seen the money that the Al Capones and Dutch Schulzes had been making and decided to take over that racket for themselves once the Volstead Act was repealed.

[Gary - Peters]

Those individuals in Western PA can go from Pittsburgh to Wheeling, WV, or Morgantown to the south and get much better deals and availabilities of beer and liquor.

Those in the south central area of PA can easily pick up $18 cartons of cigs from VA instead of the $36 price-tag in PA.

[Temple Owl]

Right! And the ones in Southeastern Pa., can go to Delaware, Jersey or Maryland for their booze.

[Drango]

In Washington state, 2 Buck Chuck is $3 'cause the State controls the liquor.

[Flyer]

And the ones in Southeastern Pa., can go to Delaware, Jersey or Maryland for their booze.

How many stores are there named State Line Liquor?

We have dry counties in Texas and there are a lot of County Line Liquor stores.

[unbalanced but fair]

Or if you live close to Ohio you can go to the nearest Giant Eagle in Ohio and buy whatever you want.

[Al Gator]

Why this vestige of socialism persists in Pennsylvania, I can't imagine.

One word:

UNION

[Dr. Thorne]

I used to sell wine to restaurants in PA. Let me describe how the state is involved:

1. The salesman approaches the customer and sell him a few cases of wine.

2. The salesman fills out a sales slip with the name of the wine, amount, restaurant name, etc. and drops it at the local state liquor warehouse.

3. The wine company waits for the state to process the sales slip and issue an order for the wine from the salesman's company.

4. The company or sometimes, the salesman retrieves the wine from the company warehouse and delivers it to the state liquor warehouse.

5. The restaurant sends an employee to pick up the wine and pay the state.

6. The state takes a disgraceful commission on the sale and pays the wine company for the product.

So, the state acts as a middleman who does nothing and receives a hefty commission on every bottle of wine sold in the state. The salesman does the promotion, sales and paperwork. The wine company delivers the wine to the state. The restaurant picks up the wine and pays on the spot. The only thing the state does is maintain a completely unnecessary warehouse for the purpose of shaking down the wine company and the restaurant while providing no useful service of any kind!

[The Great RJ]

When my wife and I first lived in Iowa we were similarly appalled by the mindless bureaucracy of their state liquor stores. For a time the state stores carried an inexpensive red wine that we often enjoyed. When we could no longer find this wine we asked the manager if they would be getting more. His response was the state stopped carrying this wine... "because they were selling too much of it." We learned that it was the unofficial policy of the Iowa Liquor Monopoly to discourage people from drinking while maximizing the profits from selling liquor.

[Tribune7]

Total Wine might be the biggest wine store in the nation.

[Tribune7]

The only thing the state does is maintain a completely unnecessary warehouse for the purpose of shaking down the wine company and the restaurant while providing no useful service of any kind!

That's Pennsylvania.