Contact: John Barnes
jbarnes@washingtonpolicy.org
206-937-9691

Seattle – Confused about the differences between Initiatives 1100 and 1105?  Washington Policy Center, the state’s premier public policy think tank, has released a Citizens’ Guide to Initiatives 1100 and 1105 to help media and the public understand the two measures and their differences.

Both I-1100 and I-1105 would end the state monopoly on liquor sales and re-focus the Washington State Liquor Control Board on enforcement and education.  But the measures take different approaches in several areas, including taxes and how retailers can acquire hard liquor from manufacturers.

The chart below, which is included in the new study, lays out differences between I-1100 and I-1105 in key areas:

After analyzing the ballot measures, Washington Policy Center found that:

1. Both I-1100 and I-1105 would effectively end the state’s 77-year old monopoly on liquor sales.
2. Research indicates that rates of underage drinking and underage binge drinking are virtually identical in license and control states.
3. Evidence suggests that control of alcohol markets does not imply control of alcohol consumption.
4. New revenue received by the state and local governments in the form of higher B&O taxes would offset some of the revenue loss presented by the OFM’s fiscal note estimates for I-1100 and I-1105.
5. If voters approve both initiatives a court ruling, legislative action, or some combination of the two will resolve the differences between the two measures.
6. Ending WA’s liquor monopoly would alleviate the state from the expense of running a business.
7. I-1100 offers a better solution to ending the state’s antiquated liquor monopoly while allowing the Liquor Control Board to focus solely on its enforcement and public education responsibilities.

Read the in-depth Citizens’ Guide to Initiatives 1100 and 1105 here.  You can also read a shorter summary version of the study here.

Washington Policy Center’s analysis of I-1098, I-1082, I-1053, I-1107, and R-52 is available at WPC’s election resource webpage.