ABCC OPPOSES QUESTION 1
The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) announced today that they oppose Ballot Question 1 regarding wine sales in Mass. grocery stores, c-stores and gas stations. Chairman Eddie J. Jenkins said:
"Question 1 will expand the sale of alcohol not only to grocery stores but to convenience stores, gas station mini-marts and other retailers who sell minimal food. There is the potential for over 2,800 new alcohol outlets flooding our communities, with no additional funding for regulatory oversight. And we know that liquor licenses in Massachusetts, once made available, are a sought-after commodity. They will be applied for and secured by all manner of convenience stores and grocery stores, not all of whom will be equipped or prepared to adhere to the rigorous standards that we have established.”
“This increase in liquor licenses would make alcohol more accessible to underage persons, which is why I stand in opposition to Question 1,” said Chief Investigator Ted Mahony.
A “yes” vote on the November ballot’s Question 1 – which applies only to wine, not beer – would create a new category of licenses called ‘‘wine in food stores’’ and grant every town up to five new licenses plus one additional license for every additional 5,000 people. If the proposed law passes, up to 2,800 licenses could be created, which includes c-stores and gas stations. A released study of the Massachusetts Wine at Food Stores Initiative concluded that updating the state law to allow more grocery stores to sell wine would save consumers an estimated $26 million to $36 million each year.
Some people, however, think that convenience should not replace regulatory safety. Small retail shops and package stores have set up an opposing campaign – the Wine Merchants and Concerned Citizens for SAFETY – to defeat the measure. The WMCC believes an increase in supermarket alcohol beverage sales would result in destruction to small businesses and a jump in underage consumption. Supermarket employees would have a much harder time, they believe, in preventing minors from purchasing alcohol illegally.
"Question 1 will expand the sale of alcohol not only to grocery stores but to convenience stores, gas station mini-marts and other retailers who sell minimal food. There is the potential for over 2,800 new alcohol outlets flooding our communities, with no additional funding for regulatory oversight. And we know that liquor licenses in Massachusetts, once made available, are a sought-after commodity. They will be applied for and secured by all manner of convenience stores and grocery stores, not all of whom will be equipped or prepared to adhere to the rigorous standards that we have established.”
“This increase in liquor licenses would make alcohol more accessible to underage persons, which is why I stand in opposition to Question 1,” said Chief Investigator Ted Mahony.
A “yes” vote on the November ballot’s Question 1 – which applies only to wine, not beer – would create a new category of licenses called ‘‘wine in food stores’’ and grant every town up to five new licenses plus one additional license for every additional 5,000 people. If the proposed law passes, up to 2,800 licenses could be created, which includes c-stores and gas stations. A released study of the Massachusetts Wine at Food Stores Initiative concluded that updating the state law to allow more grocery stores to sell wine would save consumers an estimated $26 million to $36 million each year.
Some people, however, think that convenience should not replace regulatory safety. Small retail shops and package stores have set up an opposing campaign – the Wine Merchants and Concerned Citizens for SAFETY – to defeat the measure. The WMCC believes an increase in supermarket alcohol beverage sales would result in destruction to small businesses and a jump in underage consumption. Supermarket employees would have a much harder time, they believe, in preventing minors from purchasing alcohol illegally.
posted at 3:52 PM
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