Liquor Stores: Voters Support Privatization

The idea of privatizing Pennsylvania’s liquor stores is not new.

The majority of voters support the idea, according to a Franklin & Marshall College Poll.

Of those polled, 34 percent strongly supported and 19 percent somewhat supported privatization, while 10 percent somewhat opposed and 24 percent strongly opposed.

Historic data shows an interesting swing in support. The combined support of both strongly and somewhat was 53 percent in this February 2012 poll and in a June 2002 poll, the combines support was 55 percent, but the breakdown was different.

In 2012, 34 percent strongly supported privatization, which is down from 42 percent in 2002. In 2012, 19 percent somewhat supported privatization, which is up from 13 percent in 2002.

Gov. Tom Corbett has favored privatizing liquor stores since he took office in 2011 and a plan last year failed, but now the governor himself is has his own plan take the entire system public and use the proceeds to set up funding for education. (Watch the YouTube video to the right if you want to hear him explain his plan.)

“We don’t need to sell our state stores to the highest bidder to bring in money to fund education, especially if the money gained can only be used once,” said state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery/Delaware) in a press release.

Do you think that Pennsylvania’s liquor stores should be private? Do you think you should be able to buy six packs of beer at beer distributors? Do you think you should be able to buy beer and wine at the grocery store?

The February 2012 Franklin & Marshall College Poll interviewed 622 Pennsylvania voters between January 29 and February 3. The margin of error is reported as plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.