Montgomery County’s iron-clad liquor monopoly has been in place since prohibition ended. Our county is literally the only local jurisdiction in the United States that has a wholesale monopoly on all alcohol and an additional retail monopoly on spirits.

Monopolies do not serve the public well.  They are models of inefficiency.  Consumers pay more and get less, businesses lose money, and our county’s economy takes a hit.       

We Must End the Monopoly!  Let the Voters Decide!

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Montgomery County Delegates Bill Frick, Kirill Reznik, Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller and State Senators Brian Feldman and Nancy King have introduced legislation that would phase out the monopoly and allow the private sector to compete if approved by voters in a referendum in November, 2016.   This petition supports that effort.  Voters should decide whether competition or a monopoly is better for our county.

Consider these facts.

Montgomery County residents are fleeing the county’s liquor stores in huge numbers.  This inconveniences residents, hurts county businesses and costs our state money.  The situation is so terrible that at least seven D.C. liquor stores camp out at our border looking for customers from our county.

County restaurant owners struggle to get beer and wine for their customers. Some owners say they will not open here or expand here because of the monopoly.  The problems have been going on for years and things are getting worse.

The state’s top alcohol regulator, Comptroller Peter Franchot, says that Montgomery County’s system is “incredibly slanted against the consumer and the ordinary citizen,” a “mecca of anti-consumerism” and a “disgrace.”

For all the headaches caused by this monopoly, its revenues only account for 0.5% of the county’s total budget. And some portion of these revenues are only at risk if the county can’t compete.

Please like the End the Monopoly page on Facebook.

By signing this petition, you are asking Montgomery County’s State Senators and Delegates to End the Monopoly and Let the Voters Decide.   We want our County’s state representatives to allow voters the right to choose for themselves whether consumers, businesses, and our economy would be better served by ending the monopoly and allowing competition.

And we need you to make this happen.  Our delegation will hear from those who want to maintain the status quo.  So if you want our county to shed its antiquated and counterproductive total control over liquor, SIGN THIS PETITION NOW!

END THE MONOPOLY!  LET THE VOTERS DECIDE!

Please like the End the Monopoly page on Facebook.