I-1183 hurts businesses

One benefit of Washington owning the liquor stores and distribution is that it functions to neutralize the benefits to a store that sells liquor in gaining customers from stores that do not. After all, when making a trip for any reason, it only makes sense to buy other items at the same time.

That is why Wal-Mart and Target insist that all their new stores sell groceries. That way when you go out for groceries, you will pick up hardware or a pair of socks. Even if they didn’t make any money on groceries, they would still come out ahead.

Initiative 1183 has the effect of driving liquor buyers to the big or gigantic stores like Costco. This is an initiative at least partly designed to kill small, locally owned competition. Small businesses are the job creators, and I-1183 is designed to reduce their sales and number of outlets.

Keeping liquor out of the hands of giant corporations, and protecting small and locally owned business from those same giant corporations, is not such a bad idea.

Bill Parks

Moscow, Idaho