Legislature Made Right Call in Rejecting Wine in Grocery Stores

October 21st, 2009
by Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz

Last year, the New York State Legislature rejected Governor Paterson’s attempt to legalize the sale of wine in 19,000 new outlets – and it’s a good thing we did. The recently released report from the New York State Law Commission on the State Liquor Authority makes plain that we made the right decision in rejecting a costly, and dangerous idea.

Consider this: The State Liquor Authority has just 38 enforcement officers policing 70,000 license holders and, in the words of the Commission, “is unable to make prevention of underage drinking a statewide priority.”

The Commission found that New York State spends $3.2 billion annually dealing with the cost of underage drinking – a steep price that would only increase by making wine more readily available in every corner store, bodega, deli, minimart and grocery store in the state that sells beer.

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