Touché.
The most disappointing aspect of last year's liquor privatization initiative, I-1183, may have the nearly sole-source funding of Costco, making it the most openly acknowledged instance of a corporation outright purchasing a favorable state law via the initiative process.
Another disappointment for those of us who have supported liqour privatization for its economic development potential was the way the initiative limited licensees, serving Costco's business and political interests, by cutting out small grocers, wine shops and other possible outlets and denying consumers the benefits of increased access and market competition.
Raise a glass, then, to Rep. Sam Hunt (D-22), who's tossed this in the hopper...
AN ACT Relating to prohibiting the issuance of spirits retail licenses to certain membership organizationsHeh™. Wonder if Costco will ask for a refund if it passes...
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
The legislature finds that buying in bulk and in supersized packaging, a pattern of activity that is promoted and encouraged by membership organizations, increases abusive consumption. In order to protect the public interest, advance public safety, and prevent abusive consumption of spirits, the Washington state liquor control board is explicitly prohibited from issuing spirits retail licenses to certain membership organizations.
No spirits retail license may be issued to a grocery store licensee that is a membership organization that requires members to be at least eighteen years of age.
Labels: Costco, I-1183, Legislation, Legislature, Private Liquor Sales, Sam Hunt
posted by Shaun at
9:59 PM
1 Comments:
Back in 1982, when I did a piece on EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs), I asked the head of one what was the most destructive drug in the country. Without hesitation, he said,"Alcohol."
I was skeptical and asked him,"Really? More so than cocaine?" to which he stood his ground.
The government has no business being in the business of selling booze, when it needs to police those people who do things such as kill other people, when driving while drunk. One reason that we don't have the laws the Europeans have concerning drunk driving is the fact that the state has been in the booze business.
The other reason, as most any prosecutor will tell you, is the fact that the jails are crowded with people who have sold or used marijuana. It's time to legalize marijuana and make some room in the jails for the drunk drivers who still kill people. (Sometimes, save for when the State Patrol can catch them going down the freeway, the wrong way.)
Unfortunately, when - or maybe "if" - marijuana is legalized, it will be sold in stores just like the liquor stores being shuttered. That's what Mary Lou Dickerson wants and that's how it will be; especially if it happens under a governor Inslee.
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