So, before the "PLCB is the bestest we won!!!!" crowd starts to wonder where I am... I'm really busy. I know, my anonymous "friends" have been telling me I'm obsessed about this, but the truth is, I spent the weekend with my family, celebrated a birthday, and went to the Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY (Trombone Shorty, GREAT show). And I'm in deadline mode on a whiskey book AND wrapping up an issue of Whisky Advocate. Got a lot on my plate.
To be brief, then: we ran out of time, for which I say, WELL DONE, SENATOR CHUCK MCILHINNEY, your plan worked! Your hearings really wasted time, and made it impossible to get a liquor privatization bill passed before the June 30 deadline. So you're down as having tried, but you're not on the hook with your beer and union donors for having actually passed a bill. Be careful that fence doesn't split you right in half, now. And Senator Tomlinson? One word for you, fella: primary.
And it's not over. Things don't usually get done in the Fall session, but there IS a Fall session, and that Transportation bill needs to be passed. Let's push on this. Liquor privatization has never come this far before; don't let it fall on the floor.
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Not in the public interest
Reasons why the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board should be abolished, and The Almighty Liquor Code completely overhauled and rewritten, to reflect over 80 years of change since Repeal.
Needed: passion for privatization
"...there was [in 1997] no overarching passion within the General Assembly, or in the public at large, for privatization. Unless and until there is a general hue and cry, it is very unlikely there will be a privatization initiative that succeeds." -- John E. Jones III, former PLCB chairman
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Not in the public interest
The Reasons
- #1: We're Adults
- #2: The Two-Headed Monster
- #3: Where's the Beer?
- #4: The 18% Emergency Tax
- #5: The Liquor Code Serves the PLCB, not us
- #6: The Pennsylvania Legislature
- #7: One Problem, Everyone's Problem
- #8: Too Much Information, Too Little Privacy
- #9: Can I get a Ruling?
- #10: Only 623 Stores for the Whole State
- #11: Harrisburg is a Black Hole (for paperwork)
- #12: Like They Care -- no consumer fairness focus
- #13: Who Needs 'Em? -- anyone can collect taxes
- #14: Control Isn't Working Worth a Damn
- #15: The Case Law is Stupid
- #16: Why Control Wine & Spirits?
Contributors
Love Letters to Harrisburg
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2013
(59)
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July
(7)
- I am sick and tired of the characterization of pri...
- "I am a producer of fine wine..."
- UFCW member admits privatization WILL make buying ...
- Don't Forget: it's not just the State Stores and t...
- Why the PLCB's "Modernization" plan is misleading
- Just to remind you what the Senate is protecting y...
- On Hold
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July
(7)
Other Sites of Interest
- Choose Responsibility -- reasons against the 21 LDA
- Divesting the PLCB: Reason.org explains how and why
- PLCB Customer Satisfaction Form
- PLCB issues -- 4-part series in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- PLCB list of beer brands currently registered in the state
- PLCB posts at the tleaves blog
- PLCB Product Search Page -- find PA booze here (I'm just trying to help the customer!)
- PLCB Users Group -- a non-official blog that does what the PLCB fails to do: tell you what's being discontinued, added/relisted, and put on clearance. What a concept!
- Repeal the Johnstown Flood Tax -- what more needs to be said?
- Seen Through a Glass -- Lew's full-service blog
- The Almighty Liquor Code -- Title 40 of PA law (searchable)
- The PLCB's website
- The Session Beer Project -- Lew's blog about 'session beers,' good beers at 4.5% ABV and under
If you've got your own reasons...
Send them to me. I'd love to hear from you, and take those ideas and blend them with mine. And if you're in favor of the continuing existence of the PLCB, well, send me that, too. If it makes sense, I'll publish; if it doesn't, I'll publish it also, but I may have to disagree with you.
13 comments:
What the people want. Did the people want those playgrounds for millionaires (PNC & Heinz)? Yet there they are.
Does PA tax clothing like a lot of other states. Something that we actually need.
I was in the OBX recently at an upscale market. I was browsing the wine section for about 20 minutes. No one ever asked me if I needed help. There wasn't anyone attending to the wine and beer section. I also went to an ABC Liquor store and the only clerk working there was a nice enough fellow, although he never got up from his chair he was sitting at behind the register.
I have to believe that there are more important subjects to be worried about than if you can buy beer & wine at gas station.
Thank You,
Robert
Oh, by the way, Jeff Daniels should play you in your made for TV movie.
Peace,
Robert
Gotta say, Robert...I think you missed the point completely if you thought this was about buying beer and wine at a gas station.
No, that was more tongue in cheek.
The people don't always get what they want. I'm a life long Bucco & Steeler fan and I voted against the Stadiums. I felt more for the vendors than the athletes.
I travel quite a bit and found the customer service isn't any different than what we receive here in our state stores. Back in my wine cooler days, I actually had a clerk at an Ohio Liquor store tell me that they never heard of wine coolers that were made with wine. I kind think it would be cool if Liquor , Beer , Wine and cigars were all sold in the same place. I just don't think the service would be any better. Have you waited in line at a Giant Eagle lately? Yikes. But I feel bad using the self check out because I don't like people losing jobs I'm off to my job now.
Thanks for posting.
Robert
Honestly, Robert, if you don't think the service would be better, you need to go someplace good, like Canal's in Jersey, or Federal in Boston, or Binney's in Chicago, or Total Wine all over the place. I get GREAT service at those places. As to lost jobs, check what happened in Washington State when they privatized recently: there are actually MORE jobs now. That's what will happen in PA, too...if it's done right.
I like to be Served by people wearing gold shirts , see ya in the fall .
They're yellow shirts. Only a State Store clerk would think they're "gold." Product knowledge has always been a weak point...
Come to my store I will blow you away with product knowledge. Store 6315
Entirely possible, and I never said EVERY clerk was weak on it; I said that the system in general was weak on product knowledge. I stand by that, and I'm hardly alone. The system does very little to encourage clerks to expand their product knowledge; some are very much self-motivated.
These two experiences of mind sum up the problems I've had with the State Store on product knowledge. They're isolated tales, but not isolated incidents; I've been told that several wines "don't exist," when I know full well they do.
http://noplcb.blogspot.com/2011/01/recent-state-store-experience.html
http://noplcb.blogspot.com/2008/06/more-plcb-blogging.html
Saw an article that said Sen. McIlhinney received $43k from union members and beer distributors, most in small donations of $500, all this year and most prior to his writing his bill. So we at least understand the delay tactic that were the hearings. I personally like the Senate bill over the House bill, but not a fan of how the wholesale was written. I just have to believe that the Governor needs liquor privatization in some form and he needs transportation as well. Fingers crossed that this will happen in the fall and I can celebrate.
Cheers!
QS
Dont you clerks understand we want to go to a supper market and buy my items on the shelf, i do not want to go to a state store or fine wine and spirit shop to buy, its such a inconvenience. we want to be freeeeeeee...
Yeah, Lew. You should run against Tomlnson. I'm sure you'll fair very well..
Ah, for one thing, I have no desire to run against Tomlinson; just saying I'd fully support a good candidate who did.
For another...it's "fare." Sorry, it's the editor in me.
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