Edited and Updated: 07/13/2011
I recently saw an article about initiatives likely to make it on the ballot this fall – yes, there is an election this November! At present, it appears that three initiatives will make it to the voters: One to privatize liquor sales, one offered by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to reinstate certain training requirements and background checks for long-term care workers, and another to require that only the legislature can institute tolls on roads or bridges – not the Transportation Commission (a Tim Eyman initiative – don’t get me started!).
The most high-profile of the four initiatives is I-1183 – another attempt to remove the state of Washington from the retail sale and distribution of liquor. In a time of shrinking budgets and tax revenue, it is high time (no pun intended) the state get out of the liquor business. The sale of alcoholic beverages is not an essential state function; it simply isn’t. And the argument that it is necessary for the state to control the sale of liquor in order to protect us from becoming a place where everyone is driving drunk and minors buy liquor like cigarettes (oops! Don’t want to go there…) is simply unsupported. Montana has state-contracted liquor sales and an alcohol impaired driving fatality ratio of 8.3 per 100,000. Meanwhile, Washington’s is 3.1 per 100,000 and California, where all sales are by private retailers of all sizes, is 2.6 per 100,000. Clearly, simply having the state run the liquor stores is not the answer.
The state recently announced it will lay off ten percent of its information technology (IT) staff due to the budget shortfall. If we can’t afford to employ the people who keep all the computers and technology used to run the state employed, then why should you and I be paying the salaries of persons who sell liquor? When liquor is sold in Safeway (or any other major retailer) it will still be taxed, the state will still get money and the cost of selling that bottle is spread over the entire store’s employees – not specific employees only selling liquor.
There are laws on the books now to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors. The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) enforces these through funds generated by the taxes on alcoholic beverages. Under I-1183, the state will stop operating liquor stores, but it won’t change enforcement by the WSLCB. If the increase in outlets requires them to hire more enforcement officers, then I say hire them. The cost can be covered by the tax revenue from liquor sales (yes, it will still be taxed).
The state needs to focus on providing core services – or as some say, “essential governmental services,” like education, police (including the WSLCB officers) fire, roads and bridges (we’ll save the toll initiative for later). Let businesses do business; let the state do essential state functions.
Friday Fish Wrap (with the usual homage to Herb Caen)
Mike True cruising around in his golf cart, and surviving another 4th! …Kelly Parker herding cats… Joe Pauletto enjoying brats at the VBJ BBQ… Cindy Johnson showing off her dance moves… Timothy Buckley goes a bit long in first meeting… Jim Mains directing the show while Gary Bock drove around in a lawnmower plane… Kim and Greg Smith celebrating the birth of their daughter Lucille (congrats!) …John Bockmier lending his skills and political acumen to TVD… Al Perez belting ‘em out for the crowd at The Fort… Hunt Coracci working the gate… Scott Anders becomes the “God Father” of collections… Happy Friday!
