In a New TV Ad, Local Restaurateurs Say Yes to I-1100
Tom Douglas, Linda Derschang, Brian Canlis, and Ethan Stowell appear with peers in a pro-privatization ad.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Sep 24, 2010 at 03:47PM
2 Comments
Paul Beveridge, the president of the Family Wineries of Washington State (I interviewed for this recent story about privatization and wineries) also appears in the ad. Here it is.
Unlike the anti-privatization ads I’ve analyzed here, this one attempts to convince using statements of opinion from notable figures in the culinary community as opposed to quoting numbers, so there isn’t much to fact-check.
Does the state belong in liquor sales? That’s up to each voter to decide. Is selling liquor an essential state service? Again, that’s up to you, the good citizens of Washington State.
Brian Canlis, who runs Queen Anne’s fancy stalwart Canlis with his brother Mark, does issue a statement of fact: He says I-1100 creates new jobs. That’s true, but it’s also true that if it passes, all of the employees of the state liquor stores will lose their jobs, not to mention the people that work in the distribution center, truck divers, etc. Maybe they will be rehired by new private owners, maybe they won’t. We can’t know.
If you’re still confused about the difference between I-1105 and I-1100, the two privatization initiatives that will appear on the November ballot, you’re not alone. I wrote this article to try to help with that.
The ad will begin airing on Sunday, September 26. From a press release sent out by Yes to 1100, here’s a list of the people who appear in it: Ethan Stowell of Ethan Stowell Restaurants (Seattle); Linda Derschang of Linda’s Tavern and Oddfellows Cafe (Seattle); Serina Patel, Pearl Bar and Dining (Bellevue); Mike Bitondo, Garage (Seattle); Chad Mackay, Mackay Restaurants (Puget Sound); Rick Yoder, Wild Ginger (Seattle and Bellevue); Jim Rowe, Consolidated Restaurants (Puget Sound); Travis Rosenthal, Tango Restaurant and Lounge (Seattle); Joe Fugere, Tutta Bella Neopolitan Pizzerias (Seattle area); Amy Igloi-Matsuno, Amy’s On the Bay (Port Orchard); Mikel Rogers, Pearl Bar and Dining (Bellevue); Carol Anne Lee, Ray’s Boathouse (Seattle); Banger Smith, the Ram Restaurant and Brewery (Statewide) and Pietro Borghesi, La Spiga (Seattle).
Tags: Chefs, Liquor Laws, Liquor Privatization
big surprise, people who own large high volume business with multiple locations who will be able to negotiate lowers prices than their competitors are in favor of this law.
If you travel outside of Washington, you realize how over priced our alcoholic beverages are. That’s due to the huge cut the government takes. When people come to the realization that anything the government has control or strong involvement in, chances are it is not a well run business. That is not to say that there are not good people working for the government. It’s just not efficient or beneficial for the people. Perfect example: The Postal Service. The answer… less government, more free enterprise.