WCLCB – Did You Know? Part I

Did you know that the Wicomico County Liquor Control Board is using YOUR tax dollars to print some of prettiest, most expensive political ads you’ve seen recently?

The picture just doesn’t do it justice. We also might want to ask who did the lovely print job. It couldn’t have possibly been WCLCB chairman Stewart Haemel, could it?

If it was, I have to say that he does fine work.

Of course it doesn’t really matter that most of the “information” on their little ad either distorts the truth or is an outright falsehood:

The Staff of Wicomico Wines & Spirits (Liquor Dispensaries) are not County employees and do not cost Wicomico County residents anything.
While technically correct, remember that all profits are supposed to go to the county. Therefore, staffing most certainly does affect the taxpayer.

The Liquor Dispensary System, stores and wholesale distributorship, was established by State Law and is directed by an independent Board, to benefit Wicomico County residents.
A warm and fuzzy statement that is so subjective as to defy debate. However, if the board was so concerned about benefiting the taxpayers of Wicomico County why have they refused to provide financial information until threatened with legal action?

Wicomico taxpayers benefit this year from a $400,000 contribution from the dispensaries, an increase of 60% from 2004.
I’m quite sure that they will get over the $400,000 mark this year. Of course they’ve been trying to make the public think that it has been at least a $400,000 contribution EVERY year. That is simply not true. What the current board really doesn’t want the public to know is that contributions to the county taxpayer have DROPPED over 37% during the tenure of this Board!

This contribution is profit from operation of the stores and wholesale distributorship.
True, but the WCLCB again distorts the facts to make themselves look good. If they were actually concerned for the taxpayers of Wicomico County rather than WCLCB staff and board members the contributions back to the county taxpayers would be greater than they are. The postcard pictured above is just one example. Do we believe that the printing was done for free? What about newspaper ads attacking county council members? All of these “expenses” are paid for with money that rightfully belongs to you and I.

Existing locations and well staffed stores create a safe environment.
Possibly. Of course it also discriminates against some soul who lives in Bivalve, Mardela or Willards and has to drive all the way to Salisbury to pick up his bottle of Jack.

Hours of operation help reduce drunk driving & crime, and honor religious observance.
Prove it Ron! The stores stay open late on weekends, as would a privately owned store. If the WCLCB is inferring that privately owned stores would be 24/7 liquor marts / drug dens they are just lying to save their cushy posts. As for religious observance, I wasn’t aware that the WCLCB was an arm of the Church!

The staff is trained to identify and confiscate false IDs and prevent underage drinking.
And how many times have Wicomico dispensaries been busted for selling to underage kids? In all fairness, the WCLCB staff certainly aren’t trying to violate the law. I’ve personally witnessed them turning away young people who may have been legal, but didn’t have proper ID. I’ve also witnessed the staff of privately run liquor stores do the same thing. At least with privately owned stores there is a huge financial incentive to obey the law.

REMEMBER
Any money spent by the WCLCB that is not for LEGITIMATE expenses is money that rightfully belongs to the Wicomico taxpayer. Look at that picture again and ask yourself -

How did you enjoy having your pocket picked by the likes of Stew Haemel, Ron Alessi and Cecilia Dennis?

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