A 750-milliliter bottle of Bacardi Superior P.R. Rum sells for $14.99 in Pennsylvania and $15.99 at Plaza Wines & Liquors in Manchester, N.J. A Yellow Tail Chardonnay is $7.99 in Pennsylvania and $8.99 at the New Jersey store.
Across the border in Delaware, a 1.75-liter bottle of Johnnie Walker Red is priced at $29.99 at Total Wine & More vs. the $41.99 Pennsylvania shoppers pay.
For consumers, the hotly debated issue of whether or not to privatize Pennsylvania's wine and liquor stores boils down to the question: Will prices and selection improve?
"What I would like is more choice," said Amanda Robinette of Hampden Township.
Take her favorite liqueur, Amarula Cream from South Africa. She can't get it in Pennsylvania, but it's available in surrounding states.
Karen Fenstermacher of Fairview Township said some table wines she sees selling for $3 and $4 in her home state of Massachusetts are priced at $7 or $8 in Pennsylvania. She said the selection is better in Massachusetts, too.
"We bought wine and beer any day of the week. It was just convenient," she said.
Those in favor of ending the state-run monopoly argue it would create more competition and ultimately lower prices and better selection. It would also recapture some of the revenue lost to border bleed as residents stop visits to neighboring states.
"The fundamental answer is competition. The private retailer in a regulated market would be competing against each other to serve customers. Really, it's the same logic that makes grocery stores or large retail stores work," said Leonard Gilroy, director of government reform for the libertarian Reason Foundation.
However, opponents say shoppers would lose an advantage because Pennsylvania bulk buying power works in favor of consumers. As one of the largest purchasers of wines and spirits in the nation, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is able to pass discounts on to consumers.
