Greg:
The figure you quoted in today's Daily Times article ($288,000) - that it is going to cost Wicomico County to privatize the dispensary system is in error.
You don't really know the true cost because our County doesn't hasn't yet hired an auditor to investigate the books. And the books as they exist, can't even be inspected because the Liquor Control Board won't turn them over to the Council for review.
Moreover, if my memory serves me correctly, Paige Elmore sponsored considerable liquor legislation to raise the borrowing levels for, both, Wicomico and Worcester Counties - (which you need to also be reporting). In addition, there were other State sponsored legislation that has been passed for wine tasting events to be exempted from issuance of certain licenses.
SO WITH ALL OF THIS NEW INFORMATION, I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO WRITE AN ARTICLE MYSELF TO HELP EDUCATE OUR TAXPAYING PUBLIC ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.
And I wouldn't be so certain that if the County were to privatize the Liquor Dispensary system that it will actually save the taxpayers considerably more than the $288,000 that it is alleged to have cost them to begin with.
Johnnie Miller
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
17 comments:
From the sound of things they don't have any state oversight either. They don't report to the state and they refuse accountability requested by the county council. Government run amok is exactly what this entity is and a referendum will once and for all shake that monkey off of our back.
The employees there will be forced to live like everyone else, and look for REAL JOBS.
Mr.Miller, What's your point?
The full page advertisement in the Metropolitan is exactly the spending G.A. has been pointing out for some time now. That $400,000 is now looking like $288,000, that's a lot of misinformation.
Look at the full page ad, "Your Tax Dollars Hard At Work."
What is the total of inventory for all three stores combined? (Current inventory?) The sales from all that booze they are sitting on may fund the first 3 years until other revenue sources are put into place and phased in to replace the revenue.
When in doubt, Punt. Get rid of that dinosaur.
Reference to What's you point?
The point is. . . SBYnews . . is going to have to shed the light on the Wicomico County Liquor Dispensary system because the other MSM isn't doing enough investigative reporting. More information should have been disclosed prior to their disemination of information. GA was right in his previous article.
Only then, will Wicomico residents know what the real truth is.
Bottom Line, there is more to this story than what The Daily Times has reported. You see Wicomicos Liquor Control Bond limit -(borrowing authority) - was increased dramatically by State Legislation. Thus, our Council still has a substantial say in their inner workings. If not, the Council can amend the borrowing limits and 'handcuff them'.
Stay tuned. . .more to come about this.
Johnnie
$288,000 is simply a 13 year average of LCB annual contribution to the County's general fund. Read the article before making comments next time.
Johnnie, the council has zero authority over the LCB. You said it yourself "State Legislation". You should really know the difference before you go spouting off. Your last comment doesnt even make sense. Thats how misinformation gets put out there in the first place.
The borrowing limit is 500,000 yearly and must be paid off yearly. The LCB is not allowed to have debt. Worcester Co. on the other hand has a borrowing limit of 5 million and can incur that debt for five years...for what its worth.
I do agree the books should be made public like most counties and states with LCB's. Most have the yearly report in pdf form on their websites but, if they did that we'd probably have to listen to G.A. ramble on about that waste of "tax payer money" too. I will reiterate, it is not tax payer money. The LCB is completely 100% funded from the revenue generated in their stores. They recieve zero county or state funds. G.A. is pure political propaganda, just check out his blog.(maybe that will get you some hits!!)
Two Cents
damn this gonna make me want a drink in the mornin.
Is the resistance coming from the management of the dispensaries? It would mean they would loose their cushy jobs with great benefits from what I am told. Due to their experience, the worker bees would be hired immediately by someone going into the business but management would likely struggle to get a job as quickly.
Two cents, maybe you should ask for the financial records through a freedom of information act. After a thorough review, then maybe you will understand that the liquor dispensaries obligatons don't include donations to cemetaries, advertising in Crisfield and Ocean City, $600 in tickets for whomever to attend the Boy Scout function that honored none other than Ron Alessi. The dispensaries are being handled improperly and even if they are to continue, a housecleaning needs to happen.
"It would mean they would loose their cushy jobs with great benefits from what I am told."
Again, more misinformation. The Board Chair(Haemel) makes $3,500 per year and the other two members make $2,750 per year for their work. So obviously, they aren't in it for the money. The Govenor appointed them to do a job for the good of Wicomico Co. so they are doing it, without much real compensation and with a lot of slander from their fellow citizens. And unlike the Council, they cannot vote themselves a pay raise.
Two Cents
Anon 1:33, It sounds like you already HAVE the financial records!!! Please share!! How DID you learn of this? Please dont say you heard from so and so.
Two Cents
People on the board work about 8 hours a month tops. don't over rate yourself
Response to Two Cents:
Two Cents. . . I'm not in favor of the sale of alcohol period. If I could have it my way I would ban the public sale -(dispensary) - altogether . . but would allow the restaurants to have option to sell it -(alcohol) - to their customers.
But I will tell you this much. For each of the past 4 legislative sessions I have read everyone of the legislative bills - synopsis, both House and Senate.
A couple years ago I caught onto one that would dramatically effect Worcester County. It would have required all wines to be distributed by Worcester County Dispensary. As it stood, each establishment could buy direct from the winneries.
Hark. . . I picked up the telephone and called a few establishments and they didn't even know about it.
What ensued in the next few days was intense lobbying by the restaurant owners and retailers. The last I heard they were able to kill the Bill. And still to date I have never been thanked for the tip.
More to come on this.
the board only meets once every two weeks when paychecks are signed. the board spends very few hours on real work.
they are probably working a lot more now working the constant "damage control" and trying to lawfully avoid accountability.
good luck, next you will find the maryland chapter of the national restaurant association helping get this to referendum and let the hot air out of that bag of crap there and get privatization and free market enterprise.
My take on this, and I sure could be wrong, ist that the state runs this board and not the county. The county has no right to demand anything from them.
But the board freely gives the county some money each year. So what is the County complaining about? I think they are pissed at being dismissed by the board, which IMHO has every right to deny them any records. Again, I could be wrong. But free money is free money and if the County continues in the harassment they may lose any money the board may elect to give the county.
Again, I am no lawer or politician or have any vested interest in the board but do live in the County. Be thankful we get the money they give us... for FREE!!
Hell I may buy 2 bottles of liqor a year as I am a beer drinker.. and I will agree they should not sell beer but I think that is up to the stae to decide as they run the place not the county.
Free money? If that were reality we'd all be rich
sounds like another view from within the box. once you get out of the box, look at it from the outside you'd understand there is no such thing as free money
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