Kerry Dougherty's recent column in the Virginian Pilot "Let's Party Like It's 1933" reminded me of Governor McDonnell's abortive attempt to privatize Virginia's ABC stores. It's likely the Governor wasn't pleased when I rallied against his proposal to sell spirits at local stores. It's not that I didn't agree the Governor's basic principle that the "state" shouldn't be selling booze. I just didn't want kids watching me put a 5th of Jim Beam in my Walmart shopping cart.
Being from one of the 32 states that don't have "sterile state-run liquor stores" I absolutely know Virginia should end its active role in the distribution of distilled spirits. But McDonnell's concept swung the political pendulum too far and was defeated before it could gain traction.
Four years ago we had 322 ABC stores that effectively made the purchase of hard liquor an adult endeavor. Selling licenses to business and removing a few thousand people from the state payroll, health care and retirement system seemed like a no-brainer.
Let's get the state out of the business of booze, but please don't make it so mainstream that it is being sold at the local supermarket which effectively creates ZERO jobs.
Virginia should become the 33rd state to allow private liquor stores and end our current state run monopoly.
Friday, January 3, 2014
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