Question 3... I'm confused (Boston, Framingham, Needham: price, law, shop)

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by lrfox

I think it makes sense on this bill. From a practicality standpoint, it would require a cashier or staff person to sit there and verify every single scan since each time a barcode on an alcoholic beverage is scanned, the SCO requires an authorized person (usually the cashier or SCO monitor) to verify the age. It's time consuming. Also, other age prohibited items (like tobacco products) are not allowed to be sold at SCOs, so it's kind of odd that alcohol still is.

Every time I've ever bought alcohol at SCO someone comes over and checks my ID and then that ID check is good through the rest of the sale. They don't come back if I scan another bottle of wine. They have to staff this area anyway because people often need assistance at SCO if something scans wrong or somebody accidentally double scans something, etc.

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I use my local Stop & Shop as a convenience store. I always use the self checkout unless I happen to walk past an empty cashier line. My major shops are at Market Basket and Aldi that don’t have self checkout.

I believe I’ve bought 3 bottles of distilled alcohol in Massachusetts in the last decade. That’s what Tax-Free New Hampshire is for, right? I think everyone should be able to sell beer & wine. We should have the CVS/Walgreens, Cumberland Farms, & Dunkin Donuts sell beer & wine ballot initiative.

I don't believe MA sales tax is applicable to alcoholic beverages purchased in a store for consumption elsewhere. There's only tax if you're buying alcohol to be consumed on sight (ex. at a restaurant).

The only plus of purchasing liquor in NH that I can tell is that the state regulates prices. So, you won't see obnoxious mark ups like in NH a bottle of Weller's Full Proof will sell for $60 and often in MA stores I see it priced at $300+ because it's hard to find. If you're not looking for rare bottles of alcohol then I don't find there's much price difference or reason to shop in NH.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Don’t really understand why people voted no. It’s not a big deal but it seems counterintuitive.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Don’t really understand why people voted no. It’s not a big deal but it seems counterintuitive.

Same here. I am not sure why people were so opposed. I voted yes but I am not super upset about this either.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by New Englander

Same here. I am not sure why people were so opposed. I voted yes but I am not super upset about this either.

I think it was just confusing to people- I've heard and read it multiple times, and people thought it was bad for the little guy. They didn't understand everyone involved wanted this except for a few of the conglomerate CEOS. People were confused as to why their local mom-and-pop wanted a Yes on Q3.

Youd have much better luck putting a ballot question that just removed liquor license caps entirely.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

I think it was just confusing to people- I've heard and read it multiple times, and people thought it was bad for the little guy. They didn't understand everyone involved wanted this except for a few of the conglomerate CEOS. People were confused as to why their local mom-and-pop wanted a Yes on Q3.

Youd have much better luck putting a ballot question that just removed liquor license caps entirely.

I feel most people voted no to keep beer and wine out of Market Baskets

So a remove the cap entirely would probably fail

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Don’t really understand why people voted no. It’s not a big deal but it seems counterintuitive.

I voted no because they wanted to ban the one way I actually buy alcohol.

The moral panic around alcohol in Massachusetts is silly. I’d have voted for the first part of the question. And I’d vote to scrap the system entirely and atop the strange cap on statewide licenses I did vote for the “beer and wine in grocery stores” question a few years back.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I voted no because they wanted to ban the one way I actually buy alcohol.

The moral panic around alcohol in Massachusetts is silly. I’d have voted for the first part of the question. And I’d vote to scrap the system entirely and atop the strange cap on statewide licenses I did vote for the “beer and wine in grocery stores” question a few years back.

What way is that? Self check out?

Honestly, I think they got too cute with this question otherwise it probably would have passed.

[WestieWhitie]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Don’t really understand why people voted no. It’s not a big deal but it seems counterintuitive.

Homie, could it be because people prefer large, clean stores like Total Wines, with good selection and even better prices, over extremely overpriced, run-down corner packies that sell forties, nips, scratchies and blunts?

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Don’t really understand why people voted no. It’s not a big deal but it seems counterintuitive.

Most people like to support local businesses and local liquor store owners were the ones behind this ballot question. I'm thinking they just didn't do a good job of advertising who it was that was behind this question and who it supported. I'm sure most people read it and thought it was just about expanding liquor licenses.

I agree with Jay though . . . the demonization of alcohol in this state is ridiculous. I remember 10 years ago when Needham voted to repeal it's "dry town" laws. The way some people were talking you'd have thought every teen in town was destined to become an alcoholic and the town would be overrun by homeless people instantly. These ideas were absolutely ludicrous of course and the addition of these liquor stores to town has been very positive.

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Youd have much better luck putting a ballot question that just removed liquor license caps entirely.

I guarantee you that's next because that's what Total Wine wants to happen. This ballot question was viewed by local stores as a compromise which would prevent the cap from being lifted and it would give them a chance to continue to compete with places like Total Wine.

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

Homie, could it be because people prefer large, clean stores like Total Wines, with good selection and even better prices, over extremely overpriced, run-down corner packies that sell forties, nips, scratchies and blunts?

Chief, no one particularly wants this type of store in their town. However while Total Wine seems great on the surface, just know they're not the Wal Mart of the liquor world. When they move into an area and eventually put their competition out of business that's when they raise the prices. So, low prices are just a temporary thing. They'll do it for up to 10 years if necessary to put their competition out of business. It's their business model.

Personally, I would prefer a ballot question asking if the state should take over liquor distribution and perhaps even liquor sales like it's done in NH.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

Chief, no one particularly wants this type of store in their town. However while Total Wine seems great on the surface, just know they're not the Wal Mart of the liquor world. When they move into an area and eventually put their competition out of business that's when they raise the prices. So, low prices are just a temporary thing. They'll do it for up to 10 years if necessary to put their competition out of business. It's their business model.

They should still have the grocery stores (S&S, Wegmans...) to compete with, no? I'm totally fine with all the local package stores going out of business. While I'm 100% a small business person, these places contribute zero to their community.