Privatizing Liquor Stores Still at Top of Governor’s List

If Gov. Bob McDonnell has his way, you’ll soon be able to buy your groceries and your hard liquor in the same place here in Annandale and throughout the Commonwealth.

In his second year in office, McDonnell continues to pursue his the 332 government-owned Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) stores in Virginia. “Government’s supposed to do a lot of things well, but selling Grey Goose and Jack Daniels is not one of them,” McDonnell said in an interview with Patch on Friday in Richmond.

His plan would end the government monopoly on selling hard liquor, selling off the Commonwealth’s ABC stores in the process. Instead, up to 800 privately owned stores would be licensed by the state to sell liquor.

“It makes perfect sense from a consumer standpoint,” McDonnell said. “I don’t drink hard liquor myself. But if you do, you might want to get it the same place you buy wine, cheese, beer and now liquor – it’s a convenience issue.”

McDonnell has said in the past that privatization would create thousands of jobs in the private sector while maintaining the revenue gained from state-controlled alcohol sales.

Politicians in the General Assembly have raised concerns that the action could significantly increase the number of liquor stores. McDonnell countered this charge, saying that 32 states have already privatized liquor sales and that studies from those areas indicate that there are no public safety problems with the action.

McDonnell plans for the profits from the sales of the stores to go toward his massive transportation plan.