PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE: A state budget deficit of up to $1.4 billion could open the door to GOP Gov. Tom Corbett’s top priority — selling the state liquor stores. And while it’s also been the No. 1 issue for House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Marshall, Senate Republicans, incredibly, have stood in the way.
Privatizing the state stores struck a raw nerve with some GOP senators sensitive to union interests (store clerks are unionized). There also was a fear that in large rural districts, state-operated stores wouldn’t be replaced by privately run stores. In other words, constituents would have to travel too far to buy wine or liquor…
A fiscal argument against it is that it’s no instant jackpot; it would take months, even a year or more, to set up the sale of new liquor licenses and close state-owned stores. A political argument against it is the complication of a powerful union with a lot of money and a lot of clout — the United Food and Commercial Workers — battling it at every turn… (more)
