OLYMPIA -- Two initiatives could change the way Washington does its liquor business. If passed, initiatives 1100 and 1105 would take away Washington's control of liquor sales since the end of prohibition. But that is the simple part while its impacts are less clear.
Supporters include large retailers and distributors. Initiative 1100, spearheaded by Costco, would take out the state as the middle man. It would allow wholesalers to work directly with retailers.
'Everybody that touches it is taking a little bit...jacking up the price and I believe taking the middle man out of anything is a good idea,'said Spokane neighbor Art Falk.
But small distilleries, like Dry Fly, are concerned this is only just a shift of power that could hurt them.
'We believe the initiatives are very poorly written and they're a lot of clauses within those initiatives that are anti-small business,' said Dry Fly Distilling Don Poffenroth.
Poffenroth fears he'll get hit hard by big outlets like Costco selling big name booze at cut rate prices.
Initiative 1105 would also eliminate the state's middle man status, giving distributors control instead. It would also repeal existing taxes.
The big question is what happens if both initiatives pass. Many are wondering how to combine the two initiatives with sometimes conflicting demands. At this point, nobody knows.
