Legislation to sell Virginia’s state-owned liquor stores and devote the proceeds to transportation won’t pass this session.
Sen. Mark Obenshain effectively withdrew his measure Tuesday to divest the state of its Alcoholic Beverage Control stores.
Mr. Obenshain, Harrisonburg Republican, said he did it so Republican Gov. Robert F. McDonnell could study the measure, which was a pillar of the transportation funding plan he advanced in his successful campaign last year.
Mr. Obenshain said the bill would await a special session on transportation, should Mr. McDonnell call one, or next year’s regular session.
Mr. McDonnell claimed that selling the state-owned liquor retailers would generate about $500 million for transportation, an estimate many experts question.
Thanks to Chris for bringing this hot off the press story to my attention. I keep hearing that Virginia should not be in the business of selling liquor. It was good enough for those Virginians coming off of Prohibition. It was good enough for our parents, grandparents and great grandparents, If those are Republican values, then keep them elsewhere.