There's been a push to alter Minnesota's back asswards liquor laws to allow the sale of wine and the hard stuff in, shudder shudder, grocery stores (cue scary music). Who's up in arms? Incumbents stores - public incumbents, I might add:
A recent push to allow wine sales in grocery stores isn't winning friends among some people in cities that own liquor stores.
The city officials are pulling out the usual list of who will lose: including children, firemen, and police.
That money goes back into cities to reduce property taxes, pay for park improvements or buy equipment for police and fire departments.
They are also pulling out the "we will be more careful to whom we sell argument." I'd like to see if they actually are more careful and, if they are, if the costs to consumers are worth the benefits. Let's just say that I am skeptical that a public enterprise, shielded from competition, will be more careful than a private, profit-seeking enterprise facing stiff competition. The private store can have its liquor license revoked or suspended if it gets caught selling to minors. If its license gets suspended, that opens the doors to its competitors who now have a chance to show their wares to some new customers. Moreover, who polices the government stores? Will they lose their liquor licenses if they sell to minors?
And while we're at it, let's work on the silly laws that allow Minnesotans to buy liquor at liquor stores at 8 AM on Monday but not past 10 PM on Friday and not at all on Sunday.