Two charged by PLCB
Two people from Sayre were cited by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board recently on a charge of improperly bringing alcoholic beverages into the state. According to information provided by the PLCB, David Cole, 29, and Brenda Williams, 42, were cited for purchasing alcoholic beverages out of state, and not following proper protocol for bringing alcoholic beverages into Pennsylvania. Conviction for such a summary offense, according to the PLCB, is a $25 fine, plus the cost of prosecution.
You gotta figure this was an egregious offense. $25 plus costs? That was worth it. It's such a ridiculous offense: Sayre sits right on the NY border. This is like prosecuting someone in Bethlehem for buying beer in Allentown.
What really irks me is that the PLCB will do nothing, nothing at all, if someone sells me a bottle of corked wine or skunked beer. But let me buy one bottle of rotgut wine in New Jersey, and it's a summary offense.
I suppose that $25 is going towards PLCB staff training, right? Right??
ReplyDeleteOK, so what is "proper protocol"? I would imagine its volumes of paperwork that would cost the state more than $25 to process.
ReplyDeleteRich,
ReplyDeleteI would be willing to bet -- based on the recent experience of the Massachusetts legislator (http://noplcb.blogspot.com/2009/09/different-state-same-love.html) -- that if you WENT to the PLCB and said, I was in New Jersey on business, and I happened to see this liquor store, and they had just the wine I wanted for dinner, so I bought it, but I'd really like to pay the PA tax on it... They would have no idea what to do. I'll investigate that, though. This should be fun.
Lew - I did just that two or three years ago. I called the PA LCB and said I was going to be buying some wine in NJ and wanted to know how to properly imported. I specifically said "I am more than happy to pay the tax, please just tell me how to do it." The person on the phone - a PA LCB staff person - said to hide it in my trunk. No lie.
ReplyDeleteLew,
ReplyDeleteThis is late on this, but on the recent PCN TV call-in show (replay at pcntv.com) the LCB gents said (IIRC) that it is the state police to enforce this, but it doesn't really happen.
You may find the show interesting, frustrating...