Despite voting to end the government‘s monopoly on liquor in 2011, residents of the state of Washington have expressed their regret in their decision. Since becoming an open state in 2012, over 1,200 new private retailers have received their liquor license, something that, according to William Kerr, a scientist leading a study on the results of the initiative, has been unsettling for people. In addition, privatization has resulted in a 5-15% increase on the state’s tax rates on liquor. These are the highest tax rates in the US. While residents who originally voted in favor of the initiative were ultimately unaware of how these changes would affect them, the aftermath in Washington has not helped motivate other control states to pursue privatization.
Source: ARG.org