This should be the smoking gun that reveals what I-1105 is about: protecting the monopoly of the otherwise superfluous "Beverage Distributor" network. It is a business class created by the state's current liquor laws, and has no place in a free market. They exist solely to mark up the price of liquor, not to increase efficiency. This is the 21st Century - smaller distillers can & will find ways to market & deliver their products without a state mandated middle-man.
Think of this as similar to a trade group for travel agencies trying to prevent online airfare information & bookings. Before the technology existed, travel agents were a vital resource, as few had access to the info they did. Now, they are essentially buggy whip manufacturers, selling cruises to old people and luddites.
As with many initiatives, just find out who is funding it, and you will find out who will benefit the most from it.

Did you send in your Legalize MJ petitions yet?

If not, tonite is the last pickup day and you have to drop them off, even if it only has 1 signature. More info probably at sensiblewashington.org or if you're on FB you probably already got 40 billion status updates about it.

Yeah, Cienna, maybe it will cost millions. Maybe kids will drink more. It could be. Might cause tornadoes. Or communism. You can't prove it won't happen.

And maybe you people blow goats. I'm not saying you blow goats. I'm not saying you don't. Just speculating on what might could be possible.

I am so looking forward to voting for I-1100 and helping put a stake through the heart of the state liquor stores. Damn, I want to see Liquor Barn up here -- actual choice and good prices.

elenchos is happy they did a big announcement about a pot bust in King and Snohomish counties, in our epic failure known as the War on Drugs.

That said, anything that reduces revenues during a recession - and the Costco initiative does - is NOT a good idea.

Cause with the Billionaires Tunnel sucking up funding at City, County, and State levels, they're going to have to defund schools, fire stations, police, parks, and kindergartens to fill that multi hundred million dollar hole from the liquor revenues.

Why is it a bad idea to allow residents of Washington to save some money during a recession? That seems like a good idea to me.

If the government needs more money for soup kitchens, then maybe they could not fund the route 99 tunnel of doom and the 520 rebuild.

the state will still collect the liquor tax with i-1100. column 2 and 3 will still be collected. it is the mark up that the state will be losing. most of the money will "not" be licensing fees as you claim on your prior post but on these existing taxes.

http://liq.wa.gov/pricebook/liquorpricin…

the auditor believes the state will make more money, liquor sales were estimated to increase 6-13% under the privatization scenario similar to the costco initiative.

I don't mind paying through the nose for liquor. I'm a supporter of confiscatory taxes on stuff than can cause people harm.

But, I'm still favor a wider selection of products than the state can provide through their monopoly.

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that the state should be purveying such rotten, good-for-nothing-other-than-getting-drunk products like those produced under the label Monarch. Yet, in many state stores the Monarch brand is the only brand of Kirschwasser you can find, and it tastes like a pile of vomit mixed with a bottle of maraschino cherries. Good luck trying to make a Swiss Fondue with that. There is no reason for this abomination to exist, and the Washington State Liquor Stores should be sent to oblivion for attempting to sell this stuff to an unsuspecting public.

License private stores to sell whatever liquors from whatever sources they choose--and tax the hell out of them. In that scenario, at least I'll be able to find one that might sell me a decent bottle of Kirsch.