While the governor has promised to unveil his proposal to privatize the state’s ABC stores on September 8th, that’s not nearly enough time for Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, a member of McDonnell’s government reform panel, to thoroughly digest the idea:
…Whipple said she has received very little information from the governor’s staff despite repeated requests for more information. Her last meeting with Eric Finkbeiner, McDonnell’s senior adviser for policy, took place last week. She received no specific figures and nothing in writing.
Whipple said she is trying to keep an open mind, but she said she remains concerned about the increase in stores and if the state will be able to keep receiving nearly $250 million a year in taxes and profit.
It’s amusing to see all those trying to “keep an open mind” on this matter while their real concern has little to do with nuance and everything to do with money (and the General Assembly’s ability to spend it).
But Senator Whipple isn’t alone in voicing concerns about the idea. House Appropriations committee chairman Lacey Putney has reservations, wondering if privatization is the “proper course to take.” Senate Majority leader Dick Saslaw says a privatization bill won’t pass “right now.” And staunch conservatives in the House, like Del. Tom Gear and Del. Bob Marshall have their doubts about the idea, too.
Some of this is just posturing – or less politely, some folks are voicing concerns as a way to signal what sort of deal they are willing to cut.
That’s not to say the legislative perils McDonnell faces aren’t enormous.
As Sen. Mark Obenshain told us on Freedom & Prosperity Radio, when he brought up a bill to sell the state’s liquor stores, the first lobbyists to object in the committee hearing were the representatives of the beer and wine wholesalers and the lobbyist for the state’s Baptist churches. Their opposition, as Obenshain indicated, may be muted this time, but the possibility for other, powerful, interests to raise objections late in the game is very real.
But McDonnell’s greatest challenge is the calendar. He initially floated the idea of a special legislative session in September to tackle ABC privatization and other reform issues. Now that’s been put off to November and, from our Obenshain interview, there’s now a possibility a special session won’t occur this year at all. As it’s not likely McDonnell would seek to bring ABC privatization before the Assembly’s regular session in January that means we’re well into 2011 – an election year when all 140 Assembly seats are up – before the matter could be decided.
Does making ABC privatization an election year issue make sense? Hmmm. Now there’s a question we may just have a few months to ponder.
