tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post4369521834645732229..comments2024-03-13T11:10:25.333-04:00Comments on Why The PLCB Should Be Abolished: Suggested support lettersLew Brysonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-49916143089686435662013-05-22T15:42:53.323-04:002013-05-22T15:42:53.323-04:00Worked for plcb 33yrs/68'69 vietnam 1stcavdiv
...Worked for plcb 33yrs/68'69 vietnam 1stcavdiv<br /><br /><br /> abolish emergency tax and compare our revised prices with neighboring states! Savage ranger 1 gl riceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-21130912276291629072013-03-22T13:14:11.504-04:002013-03-22T13:14:11.504-04:00Well, yes and no. Beer distributors own one of the...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.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-1152961816942836322013-03-22T12:19:05.293-04:002013-03-22T12:19:05.293-04:00Lew you said:
This amended bill looks like a grea...Lew you said:<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br /><br />While I'm in favor of this, distrubutors are independently owned, so there is no monopoly. Beer is already "free".PRRedlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-39845606582149919732013-03-20T23:58:10.797-04:002013-03-20T23:58:10.797-04:00"Cost to privatize"? Washington State ja..."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!<br /><br />And this? What's this? <i>"The PLCB leases all of their buildings,"</i><br />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. <br /><br /><i>"They are 2nd in the world in purchasing alcohol ( purchase power). </i> 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.<br /><br /><i>"They give back 500 million in profits and taxes back to the state."</i> 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. <br /><br /><i>"You would trade this for convenience, buying a head of lettuce and a bottle of merlot?"</i><br /><br />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. <br /><br /><i>"I don't want to go to target or Walmart to wait in line for 1 bottle of wine.</i><br /><br />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 Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-58080616246307724582013-03-20T22:04:43.297-04:002013-03-20T22:04:43.297-04:00Cost to privatize is too much, look at Washington ...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. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-83491686816606242532013-03-19T17:19:45.281-04:002013-03-19T17:19:45.281-04:00Sure, till the next vaguely passive-aggressive pos...Sure, till the next vaguely passive-aggressive post. Whatever.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-49786682516672445692013-03-19T17:08:57.378-04:002013-03-19T17:08:57.378-04:00Lew, come on now. In your recent fervor, you seem ...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. <br /><br />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. Rufusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-15255541870489722232013-03-19T17:01:09.274-04:002013-03-19T17:01:09.274-04:00Hey, Rufus, why don't you just come right out ...Hey, Rufus, why don't you just come right out and admit you don't want privatization, instead of playing games about it? <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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 Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-591881213265091346.post-76090675971365628962013-03-19T16:51:40.451-04:002013-03-19T16:51:40.451-04:00Lew,
Perhaps a letter writing campaign ought to b...Lew,<br /><br />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. <br /><br />The wholesalers are telling distributors that this bill will put them out of business. <br /><br />Will it work? We'll see.Rufusnoreply@blogger.com