Privatizing Liquor Sales in PA

January 20, 2011 10:00 PM

(Photo Credit: CBS)

Reporting Robert Mangino

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Heard On NEWSRADIO 1020 KDKA, Local, News

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LCB, privatizing liquor sales

Pittsburgh (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) With the Commonwealth fighting through serious financial hardships, and a new governor in place, the goal of cutting government spending is clear. The cuts are inevitable. What entities they impact are yet to be determined. Many believe the states Liquor Control Board could be first to go.

Wendell Young, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1776, joined Robert Mangino to discuss the potential fallout of life after the LCB.

Schwartzer

End this parasitic and useless entity and make these people get some form of productive employment. Good riddens of bad rubbish. Turnpike employees next?
jameelah

It seems as though turnpike employees would be logical considering that they already have EZ Pass and the electronic Toll Booths like those on the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Hutchinson Bypass.
Margaret

We should be able to go to Target, Sams & Costco LIKE all other States and buy our beer and wine. PA is like one of the ONLY places we have to go through this… SHAME on OUR state ……
Scot Abbott

Pennsylvania’s alcohol regulation with its prohibition and “state store” heritage is absurd, costly, and aof no value to us taxpayers. Unless you’re on the side profiteering (i.e.Harrisburg and friends) from this stupidity or an anti-alcohol zealot, you probably agree. It is a law that promotes lack of competition and is done at the populus’ expense. We have poorer selections, higher prices and fewer places to buy alcoholic beverages than most any other Americans. It does nothing to deter alcoholism, and it’s time for this nonsense to stop. If nothing else, it is a symbol of how the state government is out of step with its people, complacent, and arrogant about its power.
Darrell

Ok first things first. The PLCB dosent cost the consumer nothing in the way of tax money. They are a self contained unit and pays its bills and employees from there profits. The PLCB donates over 500 million dollars to the state of pa general fund every year. Also if you check prices around the us you’ll find out that there are not that big of a difference in price. What will PA do with the workers of the plcb? wHEN THEY ARE OUT OF A JOB THEN THEY WILL BECOME DEPENDENT OF TAX DOLLARS INSTEAD OF TAX PAYING CITIZENS. Think long and hard before you end something that benefits our state, because someone is going to have to pick up the difference.

Mr Soho

I bet you work for State Stores. The 500 Million or more will still go into the General fund every year. Union guy, all good things for you will come to a end. Utah is the only other State that has ” State Stores “.

Darrell

There are 6 states left with liquor stores not 1.Reply on what you know. The selection will go down and the prices will differ from store to store. The little man cant afford to stock over 5000 different wines like the State store. Sure you can get Vodka anywhere. Where are you going to buy good scotch or good brandy? and who ever stocks it you will pay a good premium to get it. What are we going to do with the wokers? put them on the roles of unemployment? Then you’ll complain that your taxes went up again.

JAUN

THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA DOESNT BELONG IN RETAIL LIQUOR SALES. PUT THE 6 PACKS NEXT TO THE MILK AT THE 7 11AND PUT THE WINE ON THE SHELVES @ GIANT EAGLE. GET RID OF THOSE STUPID MACHINES THAT DONT WORK.WHOS IDEA WAS THAT ?
Melissa

Of course we should! The only reason not to is for the state to maintain control over one last useless thing! It’s far to archaic a system to stay afloat too much longer; to shut it down now and let the privatization take place (and finally enter the 21st century) instead of letting it linger and wither into a more useless and feeble system than it already is would be an act of mercy and sense.