PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Legislation in Annapolis could change liquor sales in Somerset county. The bill would abolish the dispensary system which requires that liquor be purchased through county run stores. It would also establish a class A liquor license for businesses, allowing them to sell beer, wine, and liquor in the same store. Senator Mary Beth Carozza says the Somerset County Commissioners pushed for the bill.
“All of the safeguards that are in place for the liquor dispensaries, stay in place for the private businesses, but the difference is we are phasing out the county controlled liquor dispensaries and moving toward the private sector,” Carozza said.
The bill would also create a $5,000 license fee for business owners that want to sell liquor, which would help the county make up for lost revenue.
“The fiscal note indicates its about a 260,000 dollar a year hit, some of that will be made up with the revenue from the license fees for the businesses that decide to license to sell,” Delegate Charles Otto said.
For bar owners, like Gene Hughes, the bill would mean having more options to choose from instead of being required to go to the county dispensary for liquor. Hughes says having a variety of stores to choose from will impact prices at his bar.
“It makes it a little difficult because we can not go out and purchase for a better price and today we really need something that is going to help us out cost wise,” Hughes said.
If the bill passes Wicomico and Montgomery counties would be the last counties in the state to still be on the dispensary system.