I don't like form letters. Don't like getting them, hate sending them. But this is an exception, so...here are two suggested emails to send to your Pennsylvania Representative to support HB 790, the current bill for State Store privatization. I know Democrats are lining up solid on this, so...let's ask them to consider abstaining, or just not being there for the vote. That's an easier decision than actually going against the party, and every abstention helps.
Find your representative here, and then send them one of the two letters below: it works better if you modify it a bit, personalize it, but the important thing is to be a name, a voter, in favor of privatization. Remember, it's crucial that you include your full name and address, and they like to see a phone number, too.
If you want to suggest any changes to HB790, suggest that the representative strongly consider lowering the fees on
wholesalers. The current bill aims to reap about $500 million from that
licensing process, and as an informed consumer and voter, you should know that all of that will be passed on to you as higher prices, and will come right out of your pocket.
Tell your representative that there are better ways to find a billion
dollars for education than grabbing it from Pennsylvania's wine and
spirits drinkers.
TO A REPUBLICAN:
Dear Representative XXXX,
As one of the approximately
60% of Pennsylvanians in favor of the privatization of the PLCB State Stores, and as one of your constituents, I ask you to please consider supporting your party and your Governor by voting yes on HB790.
Pennsylvanians
have polled in favor of privatization for over 30 years, and thousands
of them cross the border to buy our wine and spirits every week instead of
going to the State Stores. They'd much rather be buying in Pennsylvania,
and bring those millions in tax revenue home, but the State Stores just
aren't filling their needs. They go for better selection, or better prices,
or better service, but thousands of them do go, and it's costing
Pennsylvania millions. Having all that here will save citizens money, and bring in millions of additional tax revenue.
Please consider how many Pennsylvanians
favor privatization. I hope you will vote for HB790, and make a public statement of your support.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE
TO A DEMOCRAT:
Dear Representative XXXX,
I know you are opposed to privatization of the PLCB State Stores, but as one of the approximately 60% of Pennsylvanians in favor, and as one of your constituents, I ask you to please consider changing your mind, or abstaining from the vote on HB790.
Pennsylvanians
have polled in favor of privatization for over 30 years, and thousands
of them cross the border to buy our wine and spirits every week instead of
going to the State Stores. They'd much rather be buying in Pennsylvania,
and bring those millions in tax revenue home, but the State Stores just
aren't filling their needs. They go for better selection, or better prices,
or better service, but thousands of them do go, and it's costing
Pennsylvania millions. Having all that here will save citizens money, and bring in millions of additional tax revenue.
Please consider how many Pennsylvanians favor privatization, and consider abstaining or changing your vote. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Lew,
Perhaps a letter writing campaign ought to be in order for the businesses that will be affected by this law. I got word that many importing distributors are sending text messages and e-mails to distributors and beer retailers telling them to pressure their rep to vote against this bill.
The wholesalers are telling distributors that this bill will put them out of business.
Will it work? We'll see.
Hey, Rufus, why don't you just come right out and admit you don't want privatization, instead of playing games about it?
This amended bill looks like a great opportunity to beer distributors. If they ask much more, they'll break the deal. If what they want and insist on is a continuance of their 75 year near-monopoly on beer sales, they're going to reap the whirlwind.
Fact is, Pennsylvanians want BEER in the grocery stores as much as they want wine there. Maybe if the distributors had used some of this muscle to push for an end to the case law, people wouldn't be in such a rush for beer in grocery stores. But now they've seen it in some stores, and you can't blame them for wanting it in more places.
How do you put that genie back in the bottle? Crush privatization? Won't be popular, and I guarantee people will know that after their best chance in 80 years, the beer distributors screwed them. Think about it.
Lew, come on now. In your recent fervor, you seem to have forgotten that I quite clearly mentioned several times here that I support privatization. The reworked bill is pretty decent. The package reform details for distributors are a little wonky and need to be reworked, but otherwise I'm cool with it. In fact, I just went to my representative's local office to have a chat about it and express my support. For the record, I don't own a distributor or work for one (or a wholesaler). I just happen to support great businesses and feel this bill will do just that.
I'm simply the messenger. This will be a party line vote and the Republicans will need all the help they can get. They aren't being done any favors by the scare tactics of beer wholesalers. Beer wholesalers have different interests than distributors. They are not one in the same. Think about it.
Sure, till the next vaguely passive-aggressive post. Whatever.
Cost to privatize is too much, look at Washington State for examples. The PLCB leases all of their buildings, they are 2nd in the world in purchasing alcohol ( purchase power). They give back 500 million in profits and taxes back to the state. You would trade this for convenience, buying a head of lettuce and a bottle of merlot? I don't want to go to target or Walmart to wait in line for 1 bottle of wine.
"Cost to privatize"? Washington State jacked their booze taxes when they privatized, they now have the highest spirits taxes in the country; no wonder prices went up. That's greed, sonny!
And this? What's this? "The PLCB leases all of their buildings,"
Good for them, but so what? There's an escape clause in the contracts if privatization takes place, the state walks away from the leases.
"They are 2nd in the world in purchasing alcohol ( purchase power). No, they aren't. They're 3rd; sometimes 4th (behind the LCBO and Costco, and sometimes the state of Michigan, and their "purchasing power" is poorly wielded.
"They give back 500 million in profits and taxes back to the state." Give back? Strange phrasing. They collect $400 million in taxes, and in a good year they eke out $80 million in 'payments' to the State. Is it profit? Depends on how loosely you define it, and how closely you look at their audits.
"You would trade this for convenience, buying a head of lettuce and a bottle of merlot?"
Ha! Yeah, buddy, in a heartbeat! The pro-PLCB folks keep calling this joke of a system a 'valuable public asset.' It's more like a used kleenex, something we'd love to get rid of.
"I don't want to go to target or Walmart to wait in line for 1 bottle of wine.
Considering "big box" stores are no longer up for licensing, I guess you won't have to. Try to keep up. I know you guys love to rail against the big box stores, but that ship sailed. Looks like privatization is on a roll in PA.
Lew you said:
This amended bill looks like a great opportunity to beer distributors. If they ask much more, they'll break the deal. If what they want and insist on is a continuance of their 75 year near-monopoly on beer sales, they're going to reap the whirlwind.
While I'm in favor of this, distrubutors are independently owned, so there is no monopoly. Beer is already "free".
Well, yes and no. Beer distributors own one of the limited number of licenses that the state allows in the state, about 1,200, I think. No one else can sell beer in amounts larger than a 12-pack at a time. Which is why I said "near monopoly." They don't have to be government-owned to be a monopoly. I mean, technically it's an oligopoly, I guess. But there are serious barriers to entry for people who want to sell beer. And the current incarnation of HB790 keeps those barriers in place.
Worked for plcb 33yrs/68'69 vietnam 1stcavdiv
abolish emergency tax and compare our revised prices with neighboring states! Savage ranger 1 gl rice
Post a Comment