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Letter: Liquor initiative should be opposed

The Columbian
Published: October 24, 2011, 5:00pm

George Miller’s Oct. 19 letter, “State liquor system is outdated,” supporting Initiative 1183, has discrepancies that need to be addressed. I-1183 will create a minimum of four times as many outlets selling liquor, while providing no additional funding for enforcement. The 50 enforcement officers will be tasked with regulating the law in 1,400 outlets in place of the 323 state-run liquor stores.

I wonder what will happen to the 95 percent compliance rating the Washington State Liquor Control Board has now as studies show that underage teens successfully purchase alcohol from grocery and smaller stores one out of four times. Underage drinking costs taxpayers in Washington more than $500 million annually.

I-1183 claims more money for the state while the Office of Financial Management notes this does not take into account the medical and legal costs associated with the rapid expansion of liquor sales. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a 48 percent increase in consumption is the reason they came out against privatizing liquor sales.

Get the facts before supporting yet another attempt by Costco to take the profits from liquor sales away from the residents of Washington.

Bill Arionus

Battle Ground

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