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Letter: No common sense in Utah liquor sales

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) The state-run liquor store in Murray has faced some empty shelves and long lines but staff continue to restock product on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

I just finished reading Patrick Shea’s well-written article about moving Utah’s liquor stores into the 21st century.

Having the ability to go online to the DABC’s website and order your liquor of choice, pay with a credit card and select a day and time to pick up your order just makes sense. And there, my dear friends, is the problem. When the subject of alcoholic beverages and the state’s control over said same, common sense just doesn’t come into the picture.

Eons ago (which is just a cool way of saying a very long period of time), the state of Utah decided the sale of alcoholic beverages should be controlled by the state. Way back then there weren't a lot of people in Utah and even a smaller number of people who drank liquor. This was easy for the state to control. Very few underpaid state employees and inventory was easy to control.

Now, in 2020, the state has a few more underpaid state employees and an inventory that only God knows what's in stock (and she’s not telling).

If the state of Utah would give up control of the sale of liquor, and allow the private sector to take over, the state could just sit back and collect the taxes from the sales. The state wouldn’t have to deal with their underpaid employees, the people on the board of the DABC or the inventory of all that alcohol. And for us heathens who do imbibe in alcoholic beverages, our ability to order different types of alcohol would increase.

Scott Schannon, Cottonwood Heights

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