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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Use your phone to determine what the bottle of booze will cost at checkout

Many of us have heard the complaint: dang retailers, they don't show the actual price of the liquor I want to buy!

In the wake of Initiative 1183, which got the state out of the business of selling booze in Washington, people are clamoring for a simple system of determining the actual price of the bottle. The shelf price is always posted, but many stores don't include the 21.5 percent state sales booze tax, and the liter tax.

If you have an iPhone, there's an app for that.

It's been developed by a Seattle and Olympia-based firm called Expectationist, and it's called the WA STATE Liquor TAX app. As described on iTunes, it is a 99 cent calculator that simplifies your buying decision.

Its description says: Future versions should include the ability to share deals with friends, find the nearest bargains, and even track prices of your favorite brands.



The Spokesman-Review business team follows economic development in Spokane and the Inland Northwest.