Pa. Food Merchants Applaud Privatization Vote
The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) is raising a toast to the Pennsylvania House Liquor Control Committee for moving House Bill 790 forward in support of reforming Pennsylvania’s alcohol sales system.
House Bill 790, as amended in committee, reforms beer, liquor and wine sales in Pennsylvania and denotes a significant step forward for Pennsylvanians.
Officials from the Harrisburg, Pa.-based advocate for the state’s food retailers are urging its members, associates and customers to petition their lawmakers to support HB 790 "to bring convenience and choice to Pennsylvania," said David McCorkle, PFMA president/CEO, who added that the revised plan "will also return wine, spirit and beer sales that are now going to Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Washington DC, Ohio and other surrounding states.”
Meanwhile, Pa. Gov. Tom Corbett also vigorously applauded the Liquor Control Committee for moving a bill that he said “takes the first step in getting the state out of the business of selling alcohol and bringing greater consumer choice and convenience to Pennsylvania."
“This is a momentous first step to bring Pennsylvania into the 21st century and provide Pennsylvanians with the convenience and choice that Americans in 48 other states enjoy. We have a long way yet to go, but their vote today starts us down the path to do something truly historic for the people of Pennsylvania.”
Corbett continued: “For the first time since the repeal of Prohibition, we have achieved a positive vote in the General Assembly for ending the state’s role as the sole wholesaler and retailer of wine and spirits. This is clearly a reflection of popular support this issue has.”
For its part, PFMA continues to beat the drum for its retailer members and statewide consumers to visit the FreeMyBeer.com website and send a message to local lawmakers asking that supermarket and c-stores should be able to provide convenient alcohol sales to their customers.
FreeMyBeer.com is user-friendly and allows anyone over the age of 21 to type in their address, locate their legislator and send them a message. Visitors can also join the conversation about alcohol sales reform on the Free My Beer Facebook page and they can ask their friends to get involved by sending them an email at the site.