Idaho to raise the price of booze

February 12th, 2010

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Hey, I guess at least you can say they were against government control of industry before they were for it.

Value Liquor

It is not a secret; times are tough, and people are cutting back everywhere. However, there is one buy that isn’t being sacrificed: liquor. Idaho has now caught on to a new booze buying trend, and is making some changes. The bottom line is bottom shelf liquor, which is also known as value liquor.

We’ve all seen it: the 750 milliliter bottles of Popov, or good old Evan Williams. Some changes by the state Liquor Division mean those value bottles will now cost you 5% more.

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This comes after Dyke Nally of the Idaho State Liquor Division said yesterday that he opposes privatizing the state’s control over liquor. I guess that whole tedious capitalism thingy-idea-ma-jig… it’s bad thing after all.

Quick fact for you: in California you can go to Costco and buy a half-gallon of Crown Royal for around $26 (give or take a few bucks, it’s been a while), here in Idaho, it’ll run you $57 and you have to buy it at a state-run liquor store. One state has a state controlled liquor system and one has a privatized system, I’ll let you guess which is which.

What irritates me is the hypocrisy of it, on one hand you have the legislature voting for a useless bill decrying government run health care (a bill which will needlessly cost the state money) and on the other hand the state is raising prices on a good that they won’t allow to be privatized and allow the free-market to dictate the price.

Just something to mull over when you’re sipping that Scotch at happy hour tonight.

Posted in Booze, Politics

The Dead Acorn

I wonder how they'll apply the 5% increase to just "value liquors." (I don't wonder enough to go track down the answer, though.) I don't mind paying more in taxes, if the revenue is spent responsibly*, but this seems like a HUGELY regressive tax, which bothers me a whole hell of a lot.

* My primary challenge of Minnick is based on Fair, Appropriate, and Responsible Taxation and Spending. That's right, I'm running on FARTS.
fortboise

Buh buh, the guy running the State Liquor Division says it would cost MORE if we let private enterprise take over!

I confess, I don't really have a dog in this fight, Idaho is kind enough to let me buy beer at the grocery store. But still -- "it's the hypocrisy of it."