More than 300 union leaders and rank-and-file members who attended the Washington State Labor Council's Legislative Conference on Thursday were wearing stickers that read, "Keep our state liquor store system: Generating Revenue, Protecting the Public." A banner proclaiming the same was hanging on the wall behind the podium as House Speaker Frank Chopp and other Democratic legislative leaders discussed the need to address state budget problems in a thoughtful way that maintains our values and quality of life.

What was going on across the lake at the Capitol stands in direct contrast to that message. It demonstrates that the national recession -- brought to you by government deregulation, Wall Street greed and corporate malfeasance -- is being twisted by some, against all logic and common sense, to fuel anti-government pro-corporate ideology.

House Democratic leaders quietly revived HB 2846, a GOP-sponsored bill to deregulate and privatize the state liquor store system. It had already died in Commerce and Labor Committee due to lack of interest. But now the bill is before the Ways and Means Committee, where there are some legislators more receptive to the idea because they want to "reduce the footprint of state government." It is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

This legislation has been introduced and promptly rejected just about every year since the state began operating liquor stores back in 1933. Most years the idea hasn't even generated enough support to merit a hearing, much less a floor vote. The last time liquor-store privatization advocates succeeded in getting it on the ballot in the 1970s, voters resoundingly rejected it. Subsequent initiative efforts couldn't even get the necessary signatures to make the ballot.

But here we are, in a short 60-day session that is focused on resolving a $2.7 billion revenue shortfall, and some Democrats think now might be a good time to ram this through?

If this generated some quick cash, you might understand why a desperate, short-sighted budget writer might throw the idea on the table. But it doesn't. Even the bill's advocates admit this is true. Task forces have repeatedly determined that private stores would not create more revenue for the state in the short or long terms. This effort is all about pandering to the aforementioned anti-government ideologues, not about saving money or protecting the public.

The good news is that Gov. Chris Gregoire reiterated her strong opposition to liquor store deregulation/privatization at Thursday's WSLC legislative conference.

"How much will that help us get out of this $2.7 billion shortfall?  Zip," Gregoire said. She added that the only way private liquor stores could generate more state revenue than the current system is by selling a whole lot more liquor, which is not a policy consistent with her values or the values of our state.

The governor also touted our state's record of having the best compliance rate in the nation for avoiding liquor sales to minors. That's true because we have trained, experienced clerks who work on these stores -- folks represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union -- who earn a decent wage and aren't motivated to simply to sell, sell, sell.

The idea of killing these 1,000 good family-wage jobs for no reason other than to "reduce government's footprint" should be a non-starter, especially in a place controlled by Democrats. But apparently it isn't. Like House Democrats, the Senate could vote any day upon SB 6204, a similar bill that was amended into yet another $600,000 study of liquor deregulation and privatization.

We need to remind elected officials to stop wasting precious time and money, and that making government smaller and deregulation is what got us into this economic mess!

Please call the Legislative Hotline today at 1-800-562-6000 and leave a message for both of your representatives, your senator and the governor that you oppose HB 2846 and SB 6204. Tell them to maintain our state liquor store system that's generating revenue and protecting our families.

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Deadlines have passed in both houses for bills to emerge from committees, but this Tuesday, Feb. 16 is the deadline for bills to advance from their house of origin. Many bills -- good, bad and ugly -- have fallen victim to these quick deadlines in this short legislative session, and more will fall as more cutoff dates approach. The WSLC has posted an online Legislative Tracker™ where you can "track" the status of legislation of concern to the WSLC and its affiliates.