No offense, but I find the idea of the state running the liquor (or any other) business entirely creepy and big brother-ish-this purchase exceeds your quota for the month, comrade-I must report you to the state office of overindulgence for counseling...
That’s the way they run it in Qatar, but not PA.
Honestly, it’s not the ideal system, but I can’t imagine change helping the cause. Selling the stores would be a boost of revenue which would put off changes that need to happen. Selling the stores would allow politicians to benefit (and their cronies) and the spoils would go to inefficient things like public transit and education, and to prop up unions and bloated organizations, etc.
Then the money would be gone, we’d be more in debt and no structural change would happen. Plus a source of revenue would be gone. Win-win-win.
Did the people in Indiana benefit from selling off their turnpike?