Don't Be Fooled On 1183

The proponents of initiative I-1183 are trying to convince you this initiative is good for everyone in Washington, especially residents and consumers. It's a sham, pure and simple. While they argue the opponents are funded by the wholesale distributors who would be cut out if I-1183 passes, it's biggest funder and proponent is Costco. Yes the big retail store chain.

They're backing this to sell cheap liquor to everyone and dump the cost of enforcing the drunk driving laws on the State and local city and county governments. Us the taxpayers will foot the bill for the flood of cheap liquor. They're backing it to cut out wholesalers who will lose the business and the small stores who can not compete with the big box stores.

And against what they say, it won't prevent convenience stores with or without a gas station to sell hard liquor if they meet the requirements, such as in areas where there is not easy access to store which would otherwise sell liquor, meaning most rural areas where buyers can still get liquor at state operated stores.

Do you really want hard liquor to be as easily accessible everywhere and at any time of day or night around the state? That's what I-1183 would do, and then push the enforcement on the state and local governments promising they'll increase staff to handle the work. Really? In a time of state budget crisis, can we expect the state and local government to hire more law enforcement officers?

Do you really want Costco to dominate and control the sale of liquor in the state? That's what I-1183 will do, change the state to private corporations to control, to simply create monopolies on liquor? Yes, the state is now the monoply but at least it's ou4 monoply, profitable for the people, employs people, and is managed to prevent sales outside store hours.

Costco and corporations will not add any employees under this initiative and put a number of state and contract employees out of work in a time of a recession. Those people won't get their jobs back or jobs at Costco. Who speaks for them? Who speaks for the wholesalers and all their employees who will lose to big box distributors?

Initiative 1183 is the typical corporate giveaway at taxpayers expense and pushes the cost of the consequences to the taxpayers. That's not something we need for all of us. We rejected this same measure two years ago. The legislature tried to sneak it through last year and failed in the face of the publicity. And now we have to face it again.

It's time to send them a strike three NO!