The debate on House Bill 2272 has started: Should Pennsylvania get out of the business of selling liquor, essentially going with private wholesalers and retailers?

This has raised a question within the membership of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association (PLBTA), the statewide political voice for family-owned taverns, bars and licensed restaurants. What would the new liquor world look like in Pennsylvania if HB 2272 were to be successful? For these small business establishments, which supply tens of thousands of jobs supporting our state and local economies, there seem to be more questions than answers.

The state’s liquor business is a web that mixes sales, codes,and politics. When a change is made in one area, it impacts others.

In philosophy, the PLBTAagrees the state should not serve as a wholesaler or retailer of liquor. We also realize there are problems within the state’s liquor system that need to be fixed, particularly antiquated liquor codes.

Unfortunately, HB 2272 doesn’t look to fix outdated liquor codes. It doesn’t even promise family-owned establishments that they’ll be better off when purchasing liquor to run their businesses.

For the taverns, bars and licensed restaurants we represent, supporting HB 2272 is like taking a leap of faith, not knowing if our members will be protected from unintended consequences. As such, we can’t take a position on HB 2272, but offer suggestions to improve it.

Let’s realize that because of Pennsylvania’s very complicated liquor business, it is critical that if the state exits the liquor sales business, it must do so in a way that shows its support of small business establishments. Our mom-and-pop taverns, bars and licensed restaurants should not have to worry that they’ll be destroyed. Meaningful protections and liquor code changes are necessary.

With politics involved in this complicated business, there is a legitimate concern that large, well-funded players, including those from out of state, will have an advantage in a new liquor world. Major players would view HB 2272 passage as an opportunity to rework the liquor code, tilting it in their favor. It’s not far-fetched to believe HB 2272 as it stands today could set off a series of political actions impacting all phases of liquor control, licensing and enforcement.

We’d rather see the glass half full by improving upon HB 2272, but with the potential for unintended consequences, it looks half empty.

Tom Tyler is president of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association and owner of McStew’s Irish Sports Pub in Bucks County.

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