Suppose the folks in Olympia are laughing?   After the long awaiting privatization of the state's liquor industry, legislators just had to come up with a way of offset lost revenue from the closed stores.

The prices of liquor were expected to drop significantly after voters overwhelmingly chose to shut down the liquor store system in Washington state,  as the state had for years tacked hefty taxes and fees onto the price of alcohol.  With the stores closed now,  Olympia felt they had to find a way to "save" some of the lost revenue.

Shoppers on Friday across the state were shocked, or at least surprised that the prices were not as cheap as many had believed they would be.   Many stores have posted signs explaining the fees, taxes and other "goodies" the legislators tacked onto the sale of hard liquor in commercial stores.  Olympia added a 10% distributor fee and a 17% retail fee onto the price of the alcohol to make up the lost revenue.    We consumers should not really be surprised though,  when have legislators and leaders in state government ever learned to live with less, and not find excuses to pick consumers pockets?

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