Oregon Public Broadcasting

A group that wants to privatize liquor sales in Washington says it has collected 375,000 signatures for a ballot measure. Supporters of Initiative 1100 need 241,000 valid signatures to qualify for the November election.

Proponents of privatization have tried for years to get the legislature to abolish Washington’s state-run liquor system. Sharon Gilpin is with the group Modernize Washington. She says the time is right to take the issue directly to voters.

Sharon Gilpin: “The government doesn’t need to sell alcohol, that that can be done in the private sector. And that the government’s role is to tax it and ensure that there are no bad actors out there.”

Gilpin says Costco collected 150,000 signatures from its customers. The wholesale chain could be one of the retailers that would sell hard liquor in a new system.

Supporters of a competing liquor privatization proposal are still gathering signatures. They have until July second to turn in their petitions.

The United Food and Commercial Workers’ union, which represents liquor store employees, says it will continue to fight privatization.