Alexandria officials are wary of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s plan to privatize liquor sales in Virginia, fearing it could hinder their power to control where and how alcohol is sold in the city.
While it’s still not clear whether the General Assembly will adopt McDonnell’s plan to give up the state’s 75-year monopoly on liquor sales, city staff has recommended that the City Council oppose privatization unless Alexandria has some say in where liquor stores can set up shop and what kinds of alcohol each store may sell.
Officials are concerned stores that are currently allowed to sell only beer and wine would automatically be allowed to sell hard liquor.
“You might have a residential area that has one small convenience store, and right now they might have a little bit of beer and wine,” said Bernard Caton, Alexandria’s legislative director. “But if it turns into essentially a liquor store, that’s a little different than what I think most residents would like.”
That’s exactly what could happen across Virginia, according to Mark Flynn, director of legal services at the Virginia Municipal League. Since the state handles the sale of hard liquor, localities only get to manage beer and wine sales, and under current law local officials have no say in where hard liquor may be sold.
“If an existing business has the right to sell beer and wine, they probably would have the right to sell liquor,” Flynn said.
The Alexandria council will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. to discuss the legislative proposal, and Mayor Bill Euille expects this is one proposal the council will uphold.
“Absent of those types of powers, businesses can pretty much come in and do as they will,” Euille said. “But we have to be able to control the businesses and provide a high quality of life to our residents and the city as a whole.”
