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Honestly... Do it or don't.  California had the gall to at least put it on the ballot to leagalize it.  Oregon has been beating around the bush for too long.  This is slowly leaning toward it it, but for goodness sake?  Just make it legal, challenge the courts, and do it.  I would vote against this measure because of how passive aggressive it is.  It's the nature of the culture of the NW in general...passive aggressive.

This is coming from a college student who is a Republican (former President of the PSU College Republicans). 

Do it...or don't.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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For once, the Oregon Republican Party is ahead of the curve on this and is picking up an issue which could stir younger voters its way.  Their newest party platform calls for a reduction of liquor taxes by 50% and an elimination of the OLCC, which mirrors their gubernatorial candidate, Chris Dudley, who also calls for the dismantling of the agency.

I stand fully behind this as a college aged Republican.

I also work for a band, and a lot of us purchase liquor in California when we go tour there as even with an 8.75%+ sales tax, it's still upward of 30% cheaper.  Stores like CostCo or any grocery store, really, are also allowed to sell alcohol, which is one less stop one has to make to obtain spirits, which is less driving (or bussing or biking).

The OLCC has also done a damn good job of squashing the concept of all age venues.  When I moved here, I was 19 and had never drunk before.  I started drinking underage when I moved here because I couldn't see any shows.  This wasn't the case in California.  There are a lot of things which would benefit from taking away some of the ridiculous initiatives which are part of the OLCC.

As far as the high liquor taxes go, the reason Oregon has a thriving micro brewing industry is one, great NW hops and two, about the third or so lowest beer taxes.  I feel the nixing higher liquor taxes might increase distilling within the state, which like brewing, is recession proof (no pun intended).



posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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