Posted on 01/12/2012 5:46:16 PM PST by smokingfrog
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
Get ready to dig deeper to pay for that favorite bottle of wine or alcohol. Prices on hundreds of products at Pennsylvania's wine and spirits stores are going up.
The Liquor Control Board on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve higher prices requested by the suppliers of more than 300 of the 30,000 products offered through the state store system.
PLCB Chairman Patrick "PJ" Stapleton said the suppliers could have pulled their products without the increase.
"The choice is - do we raise the price of Smirnoff and let the consumers decide or do we say there's no more Smirnoff?" Stapleton said.
Jacquin's rum, for example, will go up $0.50 a bottle. Barefoot chardonnay will increase by $1, and Jameson Irish Whiskey will cost $5 more.
The price increases will take effect in February and March.
"It's further evidence that Pennsylvania ought to join the other 48 state and realize this can be done better in the private sector rather than the government sector," said Matthew Brouillette, president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation. "Pennsylvania consumers lose when the government is in the booze business. When they are picking wine winners and liquor losers, it's ultimately taxpayers that pay."
(Excerpt) Read more at abc27.com ...
Ping.
B********!
These a-holes still charge a 17% Johnstown flood tax+Huge profit+6% sales tax. After that these Union Weenies bitch because people want to privatize the Liquor Stores.
What size bottle, I wonder...?
If a group of companies were to do this, it would be called price fixing. $5.00 increase on a bottle of Jamesons is outrageous.
High time to #Occupy the State Store.
Who’s Booze, Our Booze!
In the by and by, I’ll pick up my Jamison at Harry’s Cork N Bottle on Rt 22 PBurg. Some things are cheaper in Jersey.
It’s just the PLCB’s way of showing compassion for the poor depressed State of Delaware.
I’ll be making a monthly trip to Jersey for spirits and I’ll fill-up my tank while I’m there. Thirty cents per gallon cheaper and full serve. Cost-effective trip all around.
Winning!
Lots of pockets being lined at the PLCB.
It’s a filthy alliance of union thugs and corrupt bureaucrats, always has been.
Thought we were getting RID of the State Store system..ancient and decrepit as it is. Oh well, I’m not too far from Delaware, Maryland or New Jersey if it comes to that.
No, you schmuck. The real "choice" is to finally shut down the relic you manage and let the market decide prices. Thousands of retailers and millions of buyers in a competitive market will do a much better job determining optimal prices than you commie central planners can ever do. The benefits of the "invisible hand" have been proven countless times and the failures of central planning and pricing are just as well known.
When Governor Pinchot signed the LCB’s existence into law at the end of Prohibition he stated that this agencies purpose was to “make the purchase of alcohol as inconvenient and expensive as possible”.
The PALCB has remained true to the that mission.
When the 21st Amendment was ratified in ‘33, the nation was in the middle of its biggest and worst experiment ever with price controls. There were price control boards run by the National Recovery Administration (also created in ‘33) for almost everything you needed to buy. Pinchot and FDR - two peas in a pod.
Time for another “Whiskey Rebellion”...or simply switch to pills.
In Pennsylvania, beer can only be purchased either from a "beer distributor" which seems to be a store devoted solely to selling beer in case quantities. Or, if you want less than a whole case, you have to go to a restaurant or bar to buy the bottles or cans. These restaurants and bars can sell up to two 6-packs to any customer at one time.
It is very difficult to just go pick up a 6-pack of brew.
I assume this procedure is state-wide; we were near Reading at the time.
Sheesh, all my vices are either no longer imported..Mozart Chocolate Liqueur,
Went up 20 bucks a bottle from a year ago--Gran Duque d'Alba Solera Gran Reserve Brandy.
Or going up in price by 5 bucks a bottle.. Jameson
Or mostly unavailable in the US-- Urbock 23 beer...
Time to switch to Thunderbird & Newport cigarettes..or maybe Royale or Pyramid Cig's, and mogen david..
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