Former Charlotte Mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory said it's time for North Carolina to get out of the liquor business.
McCrory, in an editorial published today in The N&O said that he is troubled that Gov. Bev Perdue was not aware that local ABC boards were accepting illegal gifts or earning large salaries.
It's troubling that the governor, a former ABC board member herself and a 22-year veteran of state government, had no idea these problems existed. Even so, the governor has released statements saying that she would like to reform the ABC system by banning gifts to the 163 local ABC boards across the state, and she has installed a new alcohol chief at the state level. The governor's error is that she wants even more government influence to fix the state-run liquor business, when the government selling liquor is itself the problem.
Perdue and the state legislature should get North Carolina out of the liquor business entirely, by transferring the sale of liquor to the private sector.
McCrory said the state could use a $700 million windfall from privatizing the system to build roads.
Anyone sense a campaign issue for 2012?
Comments
Re: McCrory: Privatize liquor sales
January 15, 2010 - 2:28am — cmitchzI'll drink to that!
(I'm surprised and disappointed that none of you had said that yet.)
Re: McCrory: Privatize liquor sales
January 13, 2010 - 5:58pm — BitterEXdemocratABOLISH the ABC 'commission'...its a HOAX and UNnecessary!
Re: McCrory: Privatize liquor sales
January 13, 2010 - 4:52pm — paidanywayIt's like Bev was nowhere to be seen over the past 22 years in state government. I guess when she slid into office, all of the sudden there was this miraculous awakening as to what has been going on in the legislature and governor's mansion. Probably had that Dorothy look on her face "Oh My!" Wake up NC Citizens! We'll all be wondering where our money has gone (gas tank, heating bills, water bills, liquor taxes, etc.)!
Re: McCrory: Privatize liquor sales
January 13, 2010 - 3:42pm — richinraleighPat, I hope you run again. Bev won on O's coatails, it won't happen again. You are saying what I have been saying for the past 15 years I have lived here. Why is the state selling liquor when the private market can do it so much better and the consumer will see lower prices?
McCrory finds $700 million, Perdue does not
January 13, 2010 - 2:03pm — concerned53In a below article, Perdue announces that finally after a year in office, she is going to begin to pick apart the budget for a million here or $500k there. The editorial states that the Mayor has already found $700 million that could be used to fund Beverly's new education initiative (another acronym of course!). Continuing the status quo of protecting & paying back her democratic cronies must be the only reason that she is not willing to consider this new source of funding for her pet projects.
Re: McCrory: Privatize liquor sales
January 13, 2010 - 12:59pm — Steven252525I hate to say it...but he is 100% right.