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Sunday, December 21, 2014

Tempers Flare As Liquor Board Hikes Retail Prices

County commissioners past and present crossed swords over a proposed rate increase in retail pricing at the Worcester County Liquor Control Board stores.

“In our situation we need to increase revenue or cut expenses. We’ve made seven cuts in administration and the warehouse. We’ve made all the cuts. We need to generate more revenue,” Robert “Bobby” Cowger Jr. told the commissioners during their regular Tuesday meeting.

Effective immediately, all 1.75-liter products will increase in price by one dollar. All bottles of wine will increase in price by $.50. On Jan. 1, all products 50 ml in volume or greater will increase in price by $.50, and the “split case” charge for licensees will increase from $.50 per bottle to $.75 per bottle.

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21 comments:

Anonymous said...

why is the gubmint in the business of selling alcohol and gambling - oh, right, IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN!

Anonymous said...

Disband this department its UN AMERICAN to tell people where to get there liquor.
Culver do the same...

Unknown said...

You can get a 1.75L of product for $13.99 in the Fenwick and Rehobeth areas. "Why pay more"?

Anonymous said...

But not as bad as the sewer fee increase in Somerset County.

Anonymous said...

Move.

Anonymous said...

Worcester is already high as hell. May as well shut down now and save all the BS. Thank you OC bar owners for this mess, now you will get to pay more also. Oh that's right, we the people will get to pay more. Thanks to Seacrets etc.

Anonymous said...

The county retail liquor boards in all of the counties in Maryland have little to no oversight, and very little accountability. The big liquor companies hold a monopoly in Maryland, only one company can sell Jack Daniels whiskey, one company can sell Bacardi Rum etc. all down the line. There is no competition in the liquor wholesale market in this state.

Anonymous said...

Oc Bar owners. Need to be the ones outraged amd boycott for a week.

Anonymous said...

Bayville is jumping for joy.

Anonymous said...

That's what happens when you put it in the hands of the county. It should've never been taken out of the states hands. It works great in Wicomico county. And Wicomico county gets approx. $5000.000.00 in tax user revenue a year from the state run liquor board. Privatize it in Wicomico county,and the county loses approx. $270,000.00 a year in tax revenue.
Stupid is as stupid does.

Anonymous said...

2:05 where did you get your info so we can confirm. Thanks

Anonymous said...

The private sector would create far more revenue and more jobs than government ever could holding a monopoly. How much in salaries, health insurance and other perks are paid to people that never touch or see a drop of it? That's government for you.

Anonymous said...

2:05pm Must be Justin from Wicomico County Dispensary. He is such a lier & jerk.

Anonymous said...

Making your own is a lot cheaper. F paying their prices.

Anonymous said...

Effective immediately, Delmar will see more sales....on the north side of the street!

Anonymous said...

People are sometimes quick to blame things on the good old boys, but this is the good old boy network at its finest. They really should abolish this archaic liquor control system. The main problem with that is a few friends and family would lose their useless jobs. Nobody wants that, so move them into other county positions...anywhere, just do away with this nonsensical system.

Anonymous said...

The county receives on average $500,000.00 a year in Wicomico county from state controled liquor sales. Drop the state control and it will be cut in half.
This is all a matter of public record. And at least one Wicomico county liquor store has a graph showing the tax revenue over the last like 6 years. You can contact the State controled liquor board in Wicomico county, and they can tell you what you want. If you request, you can attend meetings to see how well it is run. They are open to the public.
Just do your home work, before thinking that cutting $250,000.00 tax revenue, that's a user fee, from the county budget..
If it ain't broke, don't "fix' it.
That's what happened in Worcester county.

Anonymous said...

Extremely poor decision making by Cowger primarily. The county should not be in the business.

Anonymous said...

Wicomico needs to get out of the booze business period. Very shady how they enforce compliance checks. That guy from Baltimore is shady at best. His buddies never get hit. Taking graph is still illegal this is not Baltimore.

for what its worth said...

alcohol is a great business to be in.
when times are good ppl drink.
when times are bad ppl drink more.
win ,win for all involved.

Anonymous said...

Not an issue. Been going to Delaware for years to by my booze.