I can understand that there are a number of PLCB workers who may not have the
time or the inclination to fully pay attention to everything that is going on
with privatization and that they depend on those above them to provide
information in condensed form. However,
when the leadership either doesn’t know or is flat out lying it is then that we
see the re-education camps really have them brainwashed. To wit, this is a quote from the Director of Collective Bargaining
for UFCW 23 James "Bryan" Bond:
“We
have the most selection, best stores, and knowledgeable sales folks in
comparison to any other state on this side of the US. We are number 2 in sales
out of all 50 states, and the safest state for not selling to minors. The huge
profits benefit all people who live here. If that profit goes away, wait until
you see your future home tax bills. Don't believe me? That's what Washington
State did and they are sorry about it now.”
It seems that Mr. Bond has never been out of state and seen Moore Brothers, Total Wine, Buy-Rite, Binny’s or any number of other stores that absolutely dwarf the selection of the largest PLCB store. Even if he means what can be ordered those other stores will order things for you too so at best it might be a tie but I personally doubt it.
Best stores is a personal opinion so maybe he really believes that but as far as the knowledgeable sales folks compared to all east of the Mississippi he has to be dreaming. There are multiple stores in New York alone that have Sommeliers on staff while the PLCB has or had one as a consultant.
Being #2 in sales out of all 50 states. California is certainly #1 but does he honestly think that PA sells more alcohol in total than NY, Texas, Florida and Illinois? Guess what – they don’t. Maybe he means that PA is #2 in control states which they may be. I’ll give him #2 of the 17 control states but not of all 50 states.
The safest state for selling to minors. Since none, not a single one* of the PA state stores, are checked for underage sales his crystal ball must know something we don’t. Other control states range from 92-95% age compliance so PA is probably somewhere in there too. That doesn’t keep PA from having a higher underage binge drinking rate and underage DUI rate than most of our border states though.
Now for those huge profits that total under 3/10ths of 1 percent of the state budget. He is saying that if that goes away your local community will raise your home tax bills which I think means property tax. Why or how he thinks these are tied together I can’t figure out. To finish he adds that this is what Washington state did when they did no such thing. Housing prices or property taxes didn’t change one bit because of liquor privatization. The two aren’t related in any way shape or form.
Like any other post put on a public forum (including mine) it is subject to scrutiny and fact checking but even more so when it comes from a person in a leadership position. In this case Mr. Bond needs to go back and be re-educated again.
(* According to Stacey Witalec, then Director of External Affairs at the PLCB: "... because our stores are not licensed establishments, BLCE does not perform compliance checks in them.")
Privatization IS Modernization. Accept nothing less.
It seems that Mr. Bond has never been out of state and seen Moore Brothers, Total Wine, Buy-Rite, Binny’s or any number of other stores that absolutely dwarf the selection of the largest PLCB store. Even if he means what can be ordered those other stores will order things for you too so at best it might be a tie but I personally doubt it.
Best stores is a personal opinion so maybe he really believes that but as far as the knowledgeable sales folks compared to all east of the Mississippi he has to be dreaming. There are multiple stores in New York alone that have Sommeliers on staff while the PLCB has or had one as a consultant.
Being #2 in sales out of all 50 states. California is certainly #1 but does he honestly think that PA sells more alcohol in total than NY, Texas, Florida and Illinois? Guess what – they don’t. Maybe he means that PA is #2 in control states which they may be. I’ll give him #2 of the 17 control states but not of all 50 states.
The safest state for selling to minors. Since none, not a single one* of the PA state stores, are checked for underage sales his crystal ball must know something we don’t. Other control states range from 92-95% age compliance so PA is probably somewhere in there too. That doesn’t keep PA from having a higher underage binge drinking rate and underage DUI rate than most of our border states though.
Now for those huge profits that total under 3/10ths of 1 percent of the state budget. He is saying that if that goes away your local community will raise your home tax bills which I think means property tax. Why or how he thinks these are tied together I can’t figure out. To finish he adds that this is what Washington state did when they did no such thing. Housing prices or property taxes didn’t change one bit because of liquor privatization. The two aren’t related in any way shape or form.
Like any other post put on a public forum (including mine) it is subject to scrutiny and fact checking but even more so when it comes from a person in a leadership position. In this case Mr. Bond needs to go back and be re-educated again.
(* According to Stacey Witalec, then Director of External Affairs at the PLCB: "... because our stores are not licensed establishments, BLCE does not perform compliance checks in them.")
Privatization IS Modernization. Accept nothing less.
1 comment:
If you have facts on your side, you argue the facts. If you don't ... all you can do is argue. Doesn't matter how absurd the claim, it gives a figleaf for enough members of the state house (or really the political parties) to ignore the problem ...
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