Video news story about the missed opportunity to pass legislation to allow grocery stores to sell wine in Kentucky.
Louisville, Kentucky (February 25, 2009) – The Food with Wine Coalition announced today that a bill to allow grocery stores to sell wine in counties which allow the sale of alcoholic beverages was not filed in this Session of the General Assembly.
Opportunity Missed
Failure to File Bill Leaves $86 Million on the Table in New Tax Revenue That Kentuckians Will Now Have to Make-up Elsewhere; Thousands of Kentuckians Demand Action
Louisville, Kentucky (February 25, 2009) – The Food with Wine Coalition announced today that a bill to allow grocery stores to sell wine in counties which allow the sale of alcoholic beverages was not filed in this Session of the General Assembly.
At present, Kentucky is one of only 16 states that do not allow consumers to purchase wine in grocery stores. Six of seven of Kentucky’s border states (with the exception ofTennessee) already allow consumers this fundamental choice.
The Food with Wine Coalition, which represents Kentucky’s grocery industry on this issue has been responding to strong consumer demand to allow customers to purchase wine to consume with their meals at the place where they do their food shopping – grocery stores. More and more retailers have to turn down their customers’ request for wine because current state laws prohibit grocery stores from selling wine.
Luke B. Schmidt, a Louisville-based consultant which represents the Food with Wine Coalition noted that changing existing state law to allow grocery stores to sell wine is “pro-consumer, pro-agriculture and pro-Kentucky,” and that there are three significant reasons as to why the law should be changed, including:
- Changing the law will increase competition in the state’s wine market by providing between 300 and 400 new sales outlets for consumers to purchase wine, thereby ending the near monopoly currently enjoyed by liquor stores, and providing consumers with more competitive pricing
- With the addition of these new sales outlets, the sale of wine is expected to grow significantly which should increase the amount of tax revenue collected by the Commonwealth by $86 million over the first five years, without raising any existing tax rates
- The addition of these new sales outlets will also substantially increase the sale of Kentucky-produced wine, thereby increasing the demand for Kentucky-grown grapes – a real benefit for Kentucky’s farm families
According to Schmidt, although the Coalition intended to file a bill during this Session, due to the shortness of the Session and the legislature’s need to focus on the immediate budget shortfall, not enough time was left to address other important issues including this one.
Schmidt stated, “This is truly a missed opportunity for all Kentuckians. At a time when the Commonwealth is struggling to make ends meet, the passage of this legislation would have started the flow of money into the pipeline before the General Assembly meets in 2010 to consider what many are now saying could be a $1 billion budget shortfall. Just think of how $86 million could have been used to improve schools, roads, healthcare and issues related to families and children!”
Schmidt also noted the widespread support for changing existing law to allow grocery stores to sell wine. “In addition to the significant revenue implications, nearly 56,000 Kentuckians signed petitions in grocery stores across Kentucky a few weeks ago, demanding that the law be changed. Media online polling consistently indicates that 90%+ of those polled want this law changed. Groups such as the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce have endorsed this legislation.” The Kentucky Enquirer and the Bowling Green Daily News have endorsed the concept of grocery store wine sales.
Between now and the next Session of the General Assembly, the Food with Wine Coalition will step-up its efforts to bring this issue to the attention of all Kentuckians and encourage the legislature to change the law so that everyone benefits – most especially the taxpayers and farmers.
The Food with Wine Coalition is a not for profit organization that was established in 2007 by Kentucky’s grocery store industry and is supported by Kentucky’s wine industry. The Coalition’s purpose is to educate and inform the citizens of Kentucky about the advantages of allowing grocery stores to sell wine in wet and moist counties. Interested parties are invited to learn more about the issue by visiting the Coalition’s Web site (www.foodwithwine.org).
Video news story about efforts now underway to revise existing law in Kentucky to allow grocery stores to sell wine.
Kentucky’s grocers have launched a statewide petition drive to build support for a proposed change in state law that would allow grocery stores to sell wine.
Article originally posted by The Kentucky Enquirer directed to: http://www.enquirer.com/editions/pdf/KY_CE_271208.pdf
Ky. grocers start drive to sell wine
Cincinnati Enquirer – Cincinnati, Ohio
| Author: | Patrick Crowley |
| Date: | Dec 27, 2008 |
By Patrick Crowley
pcrowley@nky.com
Kentucky’s grocers have launched a statewide petition drive to build support for a proposed change in state law that would allow grocery stores to sell wine.
Nine grocery stores – owned by Remke Markets and Riverside SuperValu – are participating in the drive in Northern Kentucky, according to a statement from the Food With Wine Coalition.
“Consumers have been asking grocery store managers across Kentucky for the opportunity to purchase a bottle of wine to go with their meal,” Luke Schmidt, a Louisville consultant working with the coalition, said in a statement. “The coalition’s effort is a direct response to what our customers have been asking for.”
An online version of the petition is also available. The petitions will be used to try to win support for changing the law during the 2009 Kentucky General Assembly legislative session, which will begin Jan. 5.
Statewide, the petitions are in 111 stores in 39 cities and 28 counties where the sale of alcoholic beverages is allowed. Only people 21 and older are permitted to sign the petitions.
“We encourage Kentuckians across the commonwealth to take this first step in demonstrating their support for changing the law by signing the petition the next time that you shop in your favorite grocery store,” Schmidt said.
Kentucky is one of 16 states that prohibit wine sales in grocery stores. Legislation to change the law was filed during the 2008 session, but it died in committee without a vote. Liquor store operators and legislators, opposed to expanding the sale of alcohol, are against the bill.
Advocates cite three main reasons for allowing the change in law:
Expanding consumer choice.
Providing up to 400 new outlets for the sale of Kentucky-made wines.
Generating up to $50 million in new state sales tax revenue in the first five years after the law is changed.
Rep. Adam Koenig, R-Erlanger, has been one of the leading proponents of the legislation.
He said that with the state facing a projected budget shortfall of almost $500 million, increasing wine sales would help bring new tax dollars into state coffers.
Sign here, please
Petitions supporting a change in state law allowing wine to be sold at grocery stores can be signed at these locations:
All Northern Kentucky Remke Markets.
Riverside SuperValu in Covington and Dayton.
Online at www.foodwithwine.org.
OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky is one of 18 states that does not allow wine sales in grocery stores, but a coalition is looking to change that soon.
Article originally posted by (Huntington, WV) Herald-Dispatch directed to: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x1671882138/Ky-group-pushing-for-wine-sales-in-groceries
Ky. group pushing for wine sales in groceries
December 21, 2008 @ 08:34 AM
Herald-Dispatch.com
OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky is one of 18 states that does not allow wine sales in grocery stores, but a coalition is looking to change that soon.
The Kentucky Food with Wine Coalition announced Dec. 16 that more than 100 Kentucky supermarkets will hold a petition drive to gauge support for allowing them to sell wine.
The drive will help the coalition’s effort to allow wine to be sold in groceries, spokesman Luke Schmidt said.
“Ultimately what we want to be able to do is to demonstrate that consumers across the state want to see this law change,” Schmidt told the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.
But traditional liquor stores don’t want Kroger, Houchens and other grocery stores jumping on their wagon.
Changing the law would give grocery stores an unfair advantage, said Karen Lentz, a lobbyist for the Kentucky Liquor Retailer Coalition.
“It’s the fact that they can already do this, as long as they comply with the current rules that are set out for anybody who sells wine,” Lentz said. “This is a heavily regulated product that should remain heavily regulated.”
Rep. Larry Clark, a Louisville Democrat, filed a bill this year to allow for the expansion of wine sales to grocery stores. The bill made its way to the House Licensing and Occupations Committee but didn’t receive a hearing.
As Kentucky farmers make the switch from traditional crops, particularly tobacco, to grape and wine production, allowing wine sales in groceries will be a benefit to Kentucky’s agriculture industry, the coalition argues.
“It’s early, but my understanding is that it’s been very positively received by shoppers,” Schmidt said.
But Lentz says that grocery stores would have fewer regulations about selling wine than liquor stores, like the age of the salesperson, if the law was changed.
“This is not about convenience,” he said. “This is about public policy for a heavily regulated product. … Package stores are experts in selling alcohol.”
At least 40 grocery stores in Kentucky already sell liquor, but they have to abide by the same rules as liquor stores, like having the liquor and wine section accessible only through its own entrance, Lentz said.
I am not sympathetic to the Northern Kentucky legislators who have adopted a “no-way, never” attitude about increasing the state’s cigarette tax to help fill a huge hole in the state budget. I’d go so far as to say it’s irresponsible to slam the door if the alternative is gutting the state’s ability to fund education. Plus, the higher tax discourages smoking, and we all pay the price of smoking-related illnesses.
Article originally posted by The Cincinnati Enquirer directed to: http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=blog16&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a83aea494-326d-4fa2-b9bd-a7c79549d035Post%3a5505b894-6647-4616-81ba-baa89de06bbe&sid=sitelife.cincinnati.com
KY budget woes: Koenig has a point
| Posted by DennisHetzelat 12/19/2008 4:24 PM EST on Cincinnati.com |
I am not sympathetic to the Northern Kentucky legislators who have adopted a “no-way, never” attitude about increasing the state’s cigarette tax to help fill a huge hole in the state budget. I’d go so far as to say it’s irresponsible to slam the door if the alternative is gutting the state’s ability to fund education. Plus, the higher tax discourages smoking, and we all pay the price of smoking-related illnesses.
A lot of other worthy programs are on the block, too. Our story todaydescribed a woe-fest when Gov. Steve Beshear held a town meeting in Dry Ridge to discuss the state’s budget problems and the difficult decisions he and the Legislature will face. But it’s a sign of how far Kentucky has come that so many in this conservative, agricultural area were willing to support the cigarette tax increase. More than 400 people packed the auditorium of Grant County High School.
However, Republican State Rep. Adam Koenig, one of the more thoughtful and open-minded members of the NKY delegation, also made a good point when he said it doesn’t appear Beshear is living up to his rhetoric that everything should be on the table when the budget situation is this bad.
“Everything” doesn’t appear to include a short-term experiment in removing prevailing wage requirements from school construction projects, which would save millions. Koenig also is right in noting that allowing Kentucky grocery stores to sell wine as well as beer in places where local rules allow it would immediately start generating additional revenue — perhaps as much as $50 million a year through increased sales.
On prevailing wage, Beshear is correct that reform wouldn’t have an immediate impact on state revenue. But it sure would save local school districts a lot of money to simply let the free market determine wage rates for projects. A willingness to at least discuss something that has been a sacred cow for the Democrats would put Beshear on the high road over reticent Republicans.
Video news story announcing the launch of the statewide petition drive by members of the Food with Wine Coalition to change existing law to allow grocery stores to sell wine.
Video news story about the launch of the Food with Wine Coalition’s statewide petition drive to allow grocery stores to sell wine.
The Kentucky Food with Wine Coalition announced Tuesday that more than 100 supermarkets around the state will hold a petition drive to gauge support for allowing them to sell wine.
Article originally posted by the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer directed to: http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=12525DA0A8BFE280&p_docnum=4&s_dlid=DL0110120219235829867&s_ecproduct=SBK-W3&s_ecprodtype=&s_trackval=&s_siteloc=&s_referrer=&s_subterm=Subscription%20until%3A%2012%2F09%2F2010%202%3A08%20PM&s_docsbal=&s_subexpires=12%2F09%2F2010%202%3A08%20PM&s_docstart=3&s_docsleft=0&s_docsread=3&s_username=lbschmidt@lbschmidt.com&s_accountid=AC0110052614253132185&s_upgradeable=no
Group pushing for wine sales in groceries Petition drive designed as show of support
Owen Covington Messenger-Inquirer
Published: December 17, 2008
The Kentucky Food with Wine Coalition announced Tuesday that more than 100 supermarkets around the state will hold a petition drive to gauge support for allowing them to sell wine. Coalition spokesman Luke Schmidt said the drive will help the group’s push to allow wine to be sold in supermarkets. Kentucky is one of 16 states that does not allow wine sales in grocery stores.
“Ultimately what we want to be able to do is to demonstrate that consumers across the state want to see this law change,” Schmidt said.
Shoppers in Owensboro are already weighing in.
The city’s three IGA stores owned by Houchens Industries of Bowling Green offered customers a chance to sign a petition Friday and Saturday, and the three Kroger stores will be asking customers to sign the petition through the end of the month.
The effort prompted a rebuke from the Kentucky Liquor Retailer Coalition, with lobbyist Karen Lentz saying that a change in the law would create an unfair advantage for grocery stores.
“It’s the fact that they can already do this, as long as they comply with the current rules that are set out for anybody who sells wine,” Lentz said. “This is a heavily regulated product that should remain heavily regulated.”
The Food with Wine Coalition is pitching the change in the law as a way to boost sales of wine in general and Kentucky wine specifically, to provide more convenience for grocery shoppers and to join the 34 states that already allow wine sales in grocery stores.
Helping support the wine industry is also a benefit to agriculture in Kentucky, which is moving away from traditional products like tobacco and into grape and wine production, the coalition argues.
“It’s early, but my understanding is that it’s been very positively received by shoppers,” Schmidt said.
Rep. Larry Clark, a Louisville Democrat, filed a bill this year to allow for the expansion of wine sales to grocery stores, but that bill was sent to the House Licensing and Occupations Committee and didn’t receive a hearing.
Schmidt said the coalition, which is a not-for-profit organization of grocery stores formed in 2007, is still working on a piece of legislation and finding a lawmaker to carry it, but those details should come soon.
“It’s still a little bit early to speculate on that, but our intent is absolutely to bring a bill in the legislature, probably in January or February,” Schmidt said.
If Kentucky changes its law regarding the sale of wine in grocery stores, it would be one of the few successful pushes in the country in decades.
Lentz said the last time a state changed its laws regarding wine sales in certain businesses was 23 years ago, and most laws in the area date to the end of Prohibition.
At least 40 grocery stores in Kentucky already sell liquor, but they, like liquor stores, must comply with regulations such as having the liquor and wine section accessible only through its own entrance and only to people 21 or older, Lentz said.
The legislative change would allow grocery stores fewer regulations over selling wine than liquor stores, such as the age of the salesperson, Lentz said.
The state doesn’t let liquor retailers employ cashiers younger than 20 years old, while grocery stores don’t have that limit, Lentz said.
“This is not about convenience,” Lentz said. “This is about public policy for a heavily regulated product. … Package stores are experts in selling alcohol.”