States Look to Raise Revenue with Liquor

Looking to buy a liquor store? Lawmakers in states with tight control of alcohol sales—including Virginia, North Carolina, Washington, Vermont, and Mississippi—are considering privatizing state-run liquor stores to save money and raise state revenue. For now, liquor companies are not taking an active stance on the issue, though some government officials are making it part of their campaigns, saying the move would provide much-needed cash. The community reaction isn’t entirely supportive, however. “We oppose anything that we think would expand the sale and use of alcohol,” said Jack Knapp, executive director of the powerful Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists. And The Wall Street Journal reports that privatization is also facing opposition from labor unions and mom-and-pop shops.