THERE IS A NEW MOVEMENT IN HARRISBURG TO TRY AND GET THE STATE LIQUOR STORE SYSTEM PRIVATIZED.
IN A REPORT OUT OF HARRISBURG, STATE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING A NEW STRATEGY TO GET WINE AND SPIRIT STORES TO GO PRIVATE. THERE IS THE SAME OPPOSITION TO THE MOVE. THAT OPPOSITIION COMES FROM THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS THE WORKERS AT THE STORES, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY RUN BY THE STATE. THE NEW BILL WOULD PUT THE MATTER BEFORE THE VOTERS OF PA TO DECIDE. BUT THAT WOULD TAKE TWO CONSECUTIVE SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PASS THE MEASURE BEFORE IT CAN GET ON THE BALLOT, IN OTHER WORDS, AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION. THE STATE LIQUOR CONTROL SYSTEM EMPLOYS SOME 3500 WORKERS ACROSS PA. IF IT WERE TO GET TO THAT POINT, IT WOULD NOT BE UNTIL SPRING 2023 BEFORE VOTERS WOULD GET TO VOTE ON THE PROPOSAL.