The other day the Seattle Times reported on "buyer's remorse" over rising liquor prices in the privatized market established by Initiative 1183. Voters had been promised that private sector efficiencies and competition among retailers would result in lower prices than our old state store monopoly. But more often than not, shoppers are finding higher prices on their favorite brands:

Lynnwood retiree Bill Jessberger, who voted for I-1183, says he now wishes he hadn't.

"I was hoping to get cheaper prices, and they're not cheaper. They're more expensive," Jessberger said Tuesday. "Unfortunately, the initiative didn't do what I thought it would."

Hoping for cheaper prices? Gee. I wonder where poor old Mr. Jessberger got that crazy idea? It turns out, from the Seattle Times itself! In fact, on October 1, 2011, the paper actually ran one of their "Truth Needle" pieces on Costco's claim that liquor prices would broadly fall under I-1183, a claim they found to be "Mostly True."

The question is whether "more competitive prices" means consumers paying less for booze. The I-1183 campaign says they would, although it has not said that explicitly in ads.

The pro-campaign is basically right.

Oopsy! Guess you shouldn't trust everything you read in the newspaper. Especially when the newspaper sends its Costco reporter to truth needle claims based on information provided straight from Costco.