Strip Clubs and the Case for Liquor Privatization

Strip club entertainment
A stay at the Ritz Carlton
Pittsburgh Steelers tickets
Philadelphia Eagles tickets
iPad 2
World Series ticket

This is a just a short list of the items that former Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) official Timothy Fringer illegally accepted, according to the State Ethics Commission and reported by Kari Andren at the Tribune-Review.

Mr. Fringer joins a long list of PLCB officials accused of accepting bribes and committing ethics violations (you can read more from CF about those here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). In fact, Mr. Fringer is the fifth official to be charged just this year.

Corruption and waste have become synonymous with the PLCB. And it’s important to remember that as long as the governor and the government unions blast privatization the culture of corruption at the PLCB will remain.

PLCB ineptitude is hardly the reason why the vast majority of Pennsylvanians—liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican—support privatization. In short: Government has no business selling and advertising alcohol.

In addition to ending corruption and complying with public opinion, privatization makes financial sense. The vast majority of the PLCB’s “profits” are simply tax revenue—revenue that would be generated by privately-owned businesses as well. Privatization would help recover the millions lost in border bleed to states like Delaware. And it would allow entrepreneurs to innovate, create jobs, and meet customer demand.

Until we get out of the booze business corruption will continue, Pennsylvanians will continue to cross state lines to buy their booze, and the PLCB will struggle to increase revenues.