Speaking to reporters in his Capitol offices last week, Scarnati, R-Jefferson, said legislators need to “take the handcuffs off” the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board by allowing the agency to vary its prices by region and to try different mark-ups for different products. Allowing the agency to act more like a private business will drive up the state’s potential asking price for the current system, he said.
The problem here is that when you have monopoly pricing power, you have to put handcuffs on the body that wields that power. The PLCB does not and can not act like a private business because it is not a private business. The Capitol Ideas article speaks of Scarnati’s concern that we do not know the true value of the system. They could give it away for all I care. My goal is a decent selection of bourbon and scotch without having to smuggle it across the neutral zone.
The people of the State of Pennsylvania overwhelmingly want to privatize this. The politicians need to get their head out of their ass long enough to do what we, not the unions, want done!
I/We are not stupid. I am writing Rep Killion and Senator Erickson again tonight!
I can’t believe how long this is taking. They need to dump the PLCB asap.
I’m with you on the bourbon selection. I prefer to take my business to a little state to our southeast. They have much better beer prices down there as well.