Oregon grocery stores group seeks to privatize liquor

SALEM, Ore. – A group led by Oregon grocery stores has filed initial paperwork that could lead to a ballot measure on liquor privatization.

The organization called Oregonians for Competition filed initiative paperwork with the secretary of state’s office on Monday.

The grocers say in a statement that the state shouldn’t have a monopoly on liquor sales. They’re proposing liquor sales in stores that already sell beer and wine and are at least 10,000 square feet.

Grocers and Costco Wholesale Corp. led a successful privatization effort in Washington state two years ago. Backers of Oregon’s existing liquor system have warned that privatization would either diminish state revenue or lead to higher liquor prices. They also say it would harm craft distillers.