Free Republic

We know it was a different year for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, as the state saw the advent of widespread sales of wine outside of the state-owned liquor stores for the first time since Prohibition. But was it a good year? Just-released numbers for fiscal 2016-17 are strong, but board officials caution there's a lot more to learn as the customer convenience changes initiated last year continue to roll out across the state. The PLCB reported record retail sales of $2.01 billion for the year, not including state liquor and sales taxes, up 3.9 percent from 2015-16 and a...

After paying $216.7 million into the state’s general fund in the year ended June 30, more than twice the $100 million paid to help fund state operations the year before, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board had a bottom line loss of $114.3 million, according to the agency’s latest financial results. Despite the strain from larger-than-usual payments to the state, the agency’s spokeswoman pointed out that its cash and short-term investments were only $66 million lower on June 30, despite the additional $117 million contributed to the state’s coffers. The PLCB board told legislators that they are comfortable with a $185...