Pennsylvania may finally be on the threshold of getting rid of the nagging inconvenience and economic inefficiency of a liquor control system designed in 1933 at the end of prohibition.
House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) has introduced House Bill 720 which is Governor Tom Corbett’s proposal to privatize the wholesale and retail side of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). Leader Turzai hopes to bring the bill to the floor by the end of March.
“The caucus is on board,” said one Republican caucus source. “With the Governor, and Lt. Governor (Jim Cawley), working hard on this, it has made a big difference with our members, especially in the southeast.”
The Republican Caucus holds a 111-90-member advantage over the Democrats. Two House seats are vacant. The predicted $1 billion raised from the sale will go towards the Passport to Learning block grant program, including science, technology, engineering, and math programs (STEM) that will help students develop the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
“By getting Pennsylvania out of the booze business, we not only get to scrap an obsolete system, but the proceeds will provide new educational opportunities for our students,” said PMA Executive Director David N. Taylor. “It’s a brilliant plan because there are thousands of unfilled jobs on plant floors due to the fact that manufacturers cannot find trained employees. STEM programs can change that. Pennsylvania can sell of a relic of the past to buy our workforce the skills of the future.”
Despite claims by opponents that the Commonwealth would lose revenue from ending the state monopoly, the numbers tell a different story. Last year, the PLCB ended the fiscal year with negative $9.8 million in net assets. The same bottle taxes would exist in Corbett’s plan, and additional funds through licensing, income, and corporate taxes would make the returns increase.
All in all, opponents of privatizing the state stores are losing the popular battle. According to a recent poll more than 60 percent of Pennsylvania voters support a complete end to the state’s liquor monopoly. Additionally, 77 percent of respondents who use the state store on a regular basis support privatization.
Get involved. Call your state legislators and tell them that you support Governor Corbett’s liquor privatization plan. You can find your legislator at: http://www.bipac.org/lookup.asp?g=pma