Corbett pushes to advance liquor privatization

The governor is putting the pressure on the state Senate to finish the job of liquor privatization in Pennsylvania by the end of June.

 

 

The liquor privatization bill that passed the state House is complex. It has been years in the making and includes elements of many differing retail interests.

But unlike other fine wines, Governor Corbett isn’t asking the state Senate to let it breathe and to drink it in slowly.

No, the governor’s message here is: Get it down quickly.

At a press conference this week, he turned to the lone state senator in the room with a warning.

“Expect some phone calls, because I’ve asked the House to talk to their members of the senate to convince them that we need to move this bill forward. And I hope that they will do so in a quick and expeditious manner. I’d like to see this bill by the time we finish the budget.”

It’ll be an uphill battle. One key Senate Republican is promising a fight and Senate Democrats are firmly in favor of efforts to change the way state wine and spirits stores operate, rather than to shut them down.