Tuesday, November 26, 2013

In The Public Interest? What are they thinking?

Contrary to what you may think the PLCB isn't all bad. They, along with 34 Happy Valley establishments have put a major dent in the drunken spree known as State Patty's Day and they tried to curb the drinking at Kutztown by limiting hours although that didn't work. 

However, I really can't figure out why the PLCB has extended the hours of some stores for hunting season. Drinking and driving isn't enough we have to add firearms into the mix too?  They really need to explain how making sure that people with guns have increased access to alcohol, courtesy of the state store system, is in the public interest. (Before you climb on your high horse - yes I am a gun owner.)

http://www.finewineandgoodspirits.com/static/pdf/Extension_of_HolidayHours_2013.pdf

8 comments:

Alexander D. Mitchell IV said...

So stupid. Don't they know hunters drink BEER??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb9yhhflmvY

Anonymous said...

I agree with you, the plcb is not the regulator it once was or if at all

Anonymous said...

I wish some one would investigate the cost of the new stores, because i heard that they spent a few million dollars of the tax payers money to put these stores in and the top dog sue hobart is leaving, or being pushed out.. find the truth...

Albert Brooks said...

While the PLCB says it pays for itself obviously every dollar it spends on things like wine kiosks, TableLeaf, renaming of stores and other useless ideas, is a dollar that doesn't go to the general fund. Since the entire non-tax contribution of the PLCB is 3/10ths of 1 percent of the budget I would think they need to contribute as much as possible to make their point they are indispensable to the state. In reality they are not.

Sue Hobart is in charge of the Bureau of Regional Operations. She works under Dale Horst who is Director of Retail Operations who in turn reports to the board. Not the top dog by any means but in the top twenty. Of course, she is best known for her husband getting the two courtesy contracts to train the clerks how to be clerks. The Auditor General said it was barely legal and raised questions of nepotism. Not sure how well that worked since complaints went up after it was done.

Anonymous said...

Plus the new house in arizona, and is she part of the hobart family that sells slicing machines and lunch meat, but she was told to retire, from what i am hearing.

Anonymous said...

What's wrong with a store staying open longer to try and make more business?
If these stores were privately run would you still have issues with it? You complain about the inefficiencies of the state stores but now they try to increase revenue by staying open longer and your all up in arms. (no pun intended)
And why would a law abiding hunter be more likely to abuse alcohol than anybody else? Can you explain the safety issue you talk about...

Anonymous said...

Yea keep the stores open longer, so someone can rob them, and do not tell me they never been rob because they have, the state keeps that stuff quiet.

Albert Brooks said...

So why do hunters, and only certain hunters, get treatment above and beyond what the regular populace gets? If you had ever read the Liquor code you would see the dichotomy of protecting the public, which is the the only reason they exist, and selling more product which goes directly against that purpose. They aren't a business since a business wouldn't be as incompetent and survive.

A private firm follows the laws and regulations it doesn't make them up on the spur of the moment nor does it have the power to decide what an entire state may or may not buy, where it may buy it and when it may buy it.

SECTION 1-104. Interpretation of act
(a) This act shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of the Commonwealth for the protection of the public welfare, health, peace and morals of the people of the Commonwealth and to prohibit forever the
open saloon, and all of the provisions of this act shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of this purpose.

To answer your question, you always have to think about the other guy who may not be Ward Cleaver in real life.