On April 20, 2012,
Washington state sold 167 liquor stores for $30.75 million.
This is the first
large step towards the implementation of Initiative1183. Washington state
voters passed I-1183 last November with a 60 percent yes vote. The new law privatizes
liquor sales in the state of Washington and adds the state to 42 other states
with privatized liquor sales.
This move has some Pullman community members worried.
Pullman is a
college town with a reputation for drinking. On Tuesday, April 17 in the Compton
Union Building, a panel discussed the possible implications of the changed laws
for Pullman students and the general public. Consumption of alcohol in Pullman
is expected to increase 44 percent according to the panel members who cite a
survey done by the Pullman community preventative task force.
Pullman Police
Chief Gary Jenkins is a member of the panel. Jenkins discussed his concerns
relating to the possible rise in alcohol-fueled criminal activity both on the
Washington State University campus and in the Pullman community. Regular
compliance checks will be performed on businesses selling alcohol. However, Jenkins
is concerned with the extra strain that may be placed on local law enforcement.
Interfraternity
Council President, John McMullan, also a member of the panel, agreed with
Jenkins’ concerns regarding potential over-consumption. Greek-life students
represent 20 percent of the Washington State University population. The
fraternity and sorority members are given ample training and education each
year on the dangers of alcohol. In the fall 2012 training will be increased as
a preemptive strike on possible problems concerning alcohol accessibility.
The concerns of the
Pullman community are not just with the issue of over-consumption but also with
the possible statewide effects.
“We will become the most deregulated state in
the nation as of June 1.” said panel member
Mary Segawa. Segawa is the Alcohol Awareness Program Manager for the Washington
State Liquor Control Board.
However, Jason Mercier, Director of
WPC's Center for Government Reform shared a different view on the deregulation.
“If I-1183 is enacted,
Washington would still rank among the top five states for restrictive access to
liquor sales, moving from second to fifth most restrictive, and would be the
most restrictive non-monopoly-control state in the West.” Mercier said in an
article on Washingtonpolicy.org.
With
a number of conflicting reports available many people are easily confused by I-1183.
Krystal Golden, a visiting student from Oak Harbor, Wash. is uncertain as
to what to think about I-1183.
“I don’t really
know a lot about it besides what I hear from other people. The news has never
really gone in-depth on the issue, but I have been to other states with similar
laws and they don’t seem to have any more or any less of a problem.” Golden said.
Golden, who is 21,
says as someone who only drinks socially, she will not change her drinking
habits with the new law.
New rules aimed at alcohol regulation for I-1183 say alcohol
can only be sold in stores larger than 10,000-square-feet. Pullman Liquor and
Wine, at 4,416-square-feet, is in an exception to this rule. The exception
applies to all other purchased liquor stores in the state that are less than
the required square footage. The state of Washington also licenses 163 contract
liquor stores. These stores belong to small business owners and will be
grandfathered in under the new policies.
According
to the complete document of I-1183 Section 101 part 2, bullet l, institutions
found selling to patrons below the age of 21 will face fines double their
current standing.
Carrie
Toursal, a junior Spanish major at the University of Idaho, does not think the
new rules set in place to control liquor sales will be effective in university
towns such as Pullman.
“My
younger friends in Pullman have never really had a hard time getting hold of
alcohol if they know who to ask. I think this is going to cause a lot of
problems because now instead of providers grabbing an 18-pack at Walmart they
can get a fifth.” Toursal said.
A
great deal of controversy is also being generated in Pullman as well as statewide,
over the loss of an estimated 900 jobs. Many state employees will be without
work, when on May 31, the state-run liquor stores close their doors for the
final time.
Pullman
liquor store employees asked about the initiative and its consequences for them
declined comment. Nonetheless, liquor store employees across the state have already
begun to leave before the May 31 shutdown. It is estimated between Jan. 1 and
mid-March of 2012 about 75 Washington State Liquor Control Board employees left
the organization.
Eric Busch of Richland won a bid of $175,100
for the Pullman Liquor and Wine store. There is no word yet
on whether Busch will keep the stores’ current employees.
I-1183 will take effect in one month, on June 1, 2012. For
more information on I-1183, including the full initiative text, please visit
the Washington State Liquor Control Board website at, www.liq.wa.gov.
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