OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Opponents are making a final bid to halt Washington state’s voter-approved initiative that is set to privatize liquor sales in just two weeks.
An attorney argued before the Washington Supreme Court on Thursday that the initiative violates rules that require measures to address only one subject. Lawyer Michael Subit also contended that the initiative’s title mislead voters, hiding what he described as taxes on those who distribute and sell the products.
Subit is hoping for an expedited decision from a court that typically takes months to publicize its opinions. The initiative takes effect June 1, and the Washington Liquor Control Board already has auctioned off the rights to sell liquor at many of its state-run stores and issued layoff notices to 1,200 employees.
