Eliminate the Middleman
I do not drink wine, but those who do are very particular about the types of wine they drink. Every palate of every wine drinker is different. It is the reason that so many different wineries make so many different types of wine available. The market is lucrative and tastes vary.
The problem, once again, for Marylanders involves the state poking its nose where it does not belong. The Office of the Comptroller has ordered Maryland wineries to involve a wholesaler when selling their wine to restaurants and liquor stores. Prior to Schaefer's ruling, the wineries were able to deal directly with those who were purchasing their product. Once again, the state is taking a stance that directly harms small business owners, particular small wineries who will be forced to go out of business if they are required to deal with a middleman. What is worse is that the ruling dealt with a lawsuit about a Maryland law that prohibits out-of-state wineries from shipping their products directly to consumers without working with an in-state distributor. Instead of working to correct that problem, instead the Comptroller's Office decided to harm in-state operators.
How come whenever the choice comes down to siding with consumers and small business owners, or siding with the establishment, the Democratic apparatus always sides with the establishment? Thankfully, some State Senators are trying to fix this problem. Senate Bill 812 is a bipartisan bill that is pro-consumer and pro-small business. If the bill passes, all wineries will finally be able to ship their products directly to the consumer without the middleman, and the consumers will be able to buy wine directly without a high markup. It is the best of both worlds and will eliminate this unnecessary headache at all levels.
SB812 makes sense; the ruling of the Comptroller's Office (with copious help from the Attorney General's office) does not.
The problem, once again, for Marylanders involves the state poking its nose where it does not belong. The Office of the Comptroller has ordered Maryland wineries to involve a wholesaler when selling their wine to restaurants and liquor stores. Prior to Schaefer's ruling, the wineries were able to deal directly with those who were purchasing their product. Once again, the state is taking a stance that directly harms small business owners, particular small wineries who will be forced to go out of business if they are required to deal with a middleman. What is worse is that the ruling dealt with a lawsuit about a Maryland law that prohibits out-of-state wineries from shipping their products directly to consumers without working with an in-state distributor. Instead of working to correct that problem, instead the Comptroller's Office decided to harm in-state operators.
How come whenever the choice comes down to siding with consumers and small business owners, or siding with the establishment, the Democratic apparatus always sides with the establishment? Thankfully, some State Senators are trying to fix this problem. Senate Bill 812 is a bipartisan bill that is pro-consumer and pro-small business. If the bill passes, all wineries will finally be able to ship their products directly to the consumer without the middleman, and the consumers will be able to buy wine directly without a high markup. It is the best of both worlds and will eliminate this unnecessary headache at all levels.
SB812 makes sense; the ruling of the Comptroller's Office (with copious help from the Attorney General's office) does not.
posted by Brian Griffiths at 9:19 AM
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