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 Why Not Liquor?
by Tom Campbell
January 7, 2010
North Carolina has many sacred cows; some of them have become quite fat feeding at the public trough. Such is the case with our antiquated ABC system, but the very mention of reform sends many folks into resistance mode, even as facts clearly demonstrate a need to change the 1937 laws.
The 163 local ABC boards and employees are quick to say they don’t want reform. They like the power to pay employees more in salaries and bonuses than the Governor, most doctors and practically every other government employee. Even when the local board loses money employees often receive pay increases and/or bonuses. Local board members also enjoy being wined and dined by liquor companies. The unfortunate truth is that too few county ABC boards make any profit and those that do show paltry returns despite a 39 percent markup on each bottle and an exclusive license to sell liquor.
Local government officials oppose reform because they fear the loss of control and revenue if the state assumes more authority or even privatizes liquor sales. But they have exercised too little control for too long. Accountability and efficiency at the local level are obviously missing elements in most counties.
Others oppose reform, especially privatization, on moral grounds. They predict that we will see liquor stores popping up in fast food restaurants, Laundromats and such places. The evils of demon rum would be the ruination of this great state. Many of them sang the same songs in opposition to liquor by the drink. But that dog won’t hunt. North Carolina lost the final battle in the moral high ground war in 2005 when the state sponsored legalized gambling.
The case for reform doesn’t hinge on whether or not to have liquor. We had that discussion and have moved on. The issue now is how to control, sell, maximize revenues to government and make the system more accountable. We have a good system for controlling and selling beer and wine in this state, a system that works efficiently and provides good revenues to local governments. We have pretty good laws concerning the control and sale of prescription drugs, and despite where you stand on the issue, we demonstrated this past week that we can control smoking. Why not liquor?
Increased tax revenues, fewer public employees, fewer buildings for taxpayers to maintain, greater competition, more accountability and more effective laws are plenty sufficient reasons for North Carolina to reform our alcohol beverage control system. Why not liquor reform? Why not now? |
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