Governor Corbett announces Liquor Privatization Plan
PA NAACP opposes the plan, claiming it will put 5,000 Pennsylvanians out of work
Governor Tom Corbett, joined by Rep. Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, on Thursday announced his plan to privatize the liquor system in Pennsylvania and committed $1 billion in proceeds from the process to education funding.
Corbett said that the $1 billion will be used to create the Passport for Learning Block Grant, which will provide flexibility to schools, allowing our public schools, instead of Harrisburg, to decide what their students need.
Gov. Corbett's plan to dismantle the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and put 5,000 Pennsylvanians out of work jeopardizes public health and safety in every community in the state, said J. Whyatt Mondesire, President of the Pennsylvania NAACP.
"It is unacceptable that our Governor would propose tripling or quadrupling the number of liquor and beer stores in the state while destroying 5,000 family-sustaining jobs at the same time," Mondesire said today. "It makes absolutely no sense, and our members stand united in opposing this scheme."
The NAACP represents Pennsylvanians in every corner of the Commonwealth who are dedicated to building strong, safe communities, Mondesire said. He explained that the Governor's proposal to give convenience stores and grocery stores the ability to sell beer and wine will erode the quality of life in urban neighborhoods throughout the state.
"We've all seen how nuisance bars can ruin a neighborhood. Turning corner stores into beer shops will not help improve any neighborhood anywhere in this state. I have not heard a single neighborhood leader stand up and say, 'What we need in my community is another liquor store or two.' It's absurd," Mondesire said.
He added that the Pennsylvania NAACP welcomes the opportunity to testify on the Governor's proposal before lawmakers in coming months.
+ Top Story
You want honest and well-run elections. This starts by choosing the people who work at your polling place. Elections for Judge of Election and Election Inspector are on the May 21 ballot. You can read about what they do here.
This year marks the 29th anniversary of the Celebration of Black Writing Festival, one of the oldest Black literary festivals in the country. For nearly three decades, the Celebration has grown from a one-day gathering of authors and literary intellectuals to a weeklong event...
The Honorable Vincent J. Hughes Senator, 7th Senatorial District in the Pennsylvania will be the Keynote Speaker at the Fourth Saints of Valor Martial Ministry Appreciation Awards Ceremony Dinner hosted by Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.
A Philadelphia Office of the Inspector General investigation of 19 Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation contracts has found that 11 prime contractors used JHS and Sons Supply Company to circumvent the City’s antidiscrimination requirements by...
The Franklin & Marshall College Poll is produced in conjunction with the Philadelphia Daily News, WGAL-TV (South Central PA), Pittsburgh Tribune Review, WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh), WPVI-TV6/ABC (Philadelphia), Times-Shamrock Newspapers, Harrisburg Patriot-News, and Lancaster Newspapers.
Orphaned at 18 and left to support and care for his 13-year-old brother, the odds were stacked against Ronald E. Wilson going to college, let alone graduating. So, it is not surprising that Wilson was overwhelmed by emotions upon learning he will be one of 1,934 candidates for graduation at CCP.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Tuesday unanimously approved H.R. 301, authored by Reps. Seth Grove, R-York, and James Roebuck, D-Phila., to designate May 7 as “Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition Day.”
To better inform voters about the candidates in this statewide election, the Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission today issued its ratings and descriptive paragraphs for all appellate judge candidates appearing on the May 21 primary ballots.