Former Liquor Store Owners Sue State Over Lost Revenue

Store owners who sold liquor under the state system are now suing Washington for millions of dollars.The 11 owners claim the state did not initially anticipate charging a 17% fee for selling alcohol to bars and restaurants when the stores were privatized June 1st,  but because the state did, many of these owners are allegedly losing money.

Some of them claim part of the reason they stayed in the liquor business was because they didn't know the fee was going to be charged.  State officials say the fee was applied excactly the way the state mandate was written.

The store owners claim the state owes them about $7.5 million dollars in losses.