Fact Check Washington

Media Endorsements

• The Stranger
  But let’s compare Washington to another state that has privatized liquor. California has an underage-drinking rate of 26.3 percent of teenagers, far below Washington’s 31.3 percent rate, according to the federal government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. California’s binge-drinking rates are also much lower. And with our state out of the liquor-selling business, the liquor control board can focus on what it’s good at: enforcement.

Media Opposition

• Publicola
  Both of these privatization measures (I-1100 and I-1105) are written to favor big businesses at the expense of consumers, public safety, and basic state services. If voters really feel we need more liquor stores open longer hours, they should put pressure on the legislature to reform our current system. But they should reject both of these poorly written, ill-timed proposals.