Around the Rivers
Fontana Discusses Liquor Privatization Proposal
Privatization could result in job loss and reduce revenue from profits and taxation, Robinson-area state Sen. Fontana says.
The current state store system that Pennsylvania has in place began in 1933 after the ending of Prohibition. Many attempts to privatize our system have occurred over the years with the earliest effort taking place during the Thornburgh Administration in 1983. Governor Ridge continued with the privatizing endeavor throughout the 1990s and Governor Corbett has been the most recent advocate. Up until this point, all attempts by these administrations have failed. Last week, Governor Corbett announced a proposal to privatize the state’s liquor system. Under the Governor’s plan, the more than 600 state-owned liquor stores would be opened up to the free market with the Commonwealth auctioning off up to 1,200 wine and liquor licenses to a …
M. R. Birkos
7:24 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
Here are the last four states that privatized elements of their liquor sales. Iowa went private with retail operations of wine in 1985, and liquor in 1987. West Virginia privatized liquor retail operations in 1991. Both states earned less than $20 million each. In 1986, Iowa earned $71.6 million. In 1987 - $43.6 million. Cash flow did not return to pre-privatization levels until 2004. http://www.… more ›