Initiatives 1100 and 1105 story

Many people are still unsure about the alcohol initiatives.

A wide spectrum of opinions suggests that the state is still generally undecided about Initiatives 1100 and 1105.

While these two initiatives seem similar, much of the voter confusion can be attributed to their differences.

I-1100 would mean the closing of state liquor stores, and less power given to the Liquor Control Board to tax and regulate licensing, according to the 2010 General Election Voter’s Guide. Also under this initiative, any “general liquor retailer’s license” would allow the sale of wine, beer and hard alcohol, eliminating the middleman distributor.

I-1105 would change the Liquor Control Board’s powers as well, but keeping the middleman distributor. They would issue a “spirits distributor license” allowing a sale to anyone holding that license, according to the voter’s guide.

Naturally the main appealing factor of I-1100 to Washington State students in the small town of Pullman is the drop in cost for consumers, because of the removal of the high tax.

“I think that it should be passed because it would lower the taxes on alcohol making it much cheaper,” said Lauren Reed, Junior Biology Major.

The state marks up hard liquor by 51 percent in addition to imposing the highest liquor taxes in the nation, according to Craig Groshart from the Bellevue Reporter.

“WSU students would care because we’re all going to school paying a lot of money so having alcohol available to people over 21 would be cheaper and more accessible,” said Reed, although admitted she was not sure if this would be totally positive.

Even within the wine industry, potentially greatly affected by these initiatives, there are differences in opinion.

“There are two kinds of producer; medium-to-large, and small-to-medium,” said Roger Gamache, of Gamache Vintners. “Small wineries feel they may get gobbled up, but it may be good for the big guys, depending on if you are open to the competition.”

Competition would result from the initiative removing state restrictions that prevented discounted prices, negotiated payment schedules and so forth according to Mike Veseth from the Wine Economist.

“We ‘self distribute’ in Washington state and being forced to go through a wholesaler would be very detrimental too us,” said Cathy Betz of Betz Family Winery. “We would lose control on where our wines are sold.  We also appreciate the safeguards that 1100 would remove.”

More than anything, it’s the overall confusion of the initiatives that is the problem says Gamache.

“I’m not a big initiative fan, it is all about the big guy trying to get bigger, generally this means the amount of producers will get smaller, said Gamache. ““I think these initiatives are poorly written, they are confusing and they cross over each other.”

Although relatively new to the wine industry, Washington State it is now the second largest wine producer in the nation, according to the Washington Wine commission. It is amongst a minority of states with state controlled liquor sales.

Sources:

Lauren Reed (in-person interview): 509-860-7362

Roger Gamache: 509-539-0295 roger@gamachevintners.com

Cathy Betz: 425-861-9823 Cathy@betzfamilywinery.com

“Washington Wine.” Washington Wine Commission. http://www.washingtonwine.org/washington-wine/

“I-1100 and I-1105.” 2010 General Election Voters’ guide.

http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/PreviousElections/2010/general/Pages/OVG_20101102.aspx

Craig Groshart.“Liquor initiatives: 'Yes' on I-1100, 'No' on I-1105” Bellevue Reporter. 4.Oct. 2010. http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/bel/opinion/104984984.html

Mike Veseth. “Economic effects of alcohol initiatives.” The Wine Economist. 12 Oct. 2010. http://wineeconomist.com/2010/10/

Outline

I. Explanation of both initiatives

      - Differences between I-1100 and I-1105

      - Student perspective

II. Different impact on small and large wineries

      - Costco’s influence

      - Small wineries perspective

III. Confusion of initiatives

      - Winery’s frustration with initiative

      - Biggest problem

Math quiz

1. Last year, your business spent $83,000 for computer upgrades. This year, it will spend 5 percent less. How much will it spend this year?
$78,850

2. The AP Style quiz was taken by 177 students. Twenty-three failed. What percent passed?
87.1%

3. A college’s budget increases from $100 million to $120 million. What's the percent increase?
20%
(New Value - Original Value)/Original Value
4. a. Times are tough on College Hill. Your pizza budget has been cut from $200 to $150. What was the percent decrease?
25%

    b. Bonus! You win $50 in a local pageant. Your pizza budget just jumped from $150 to $200. What was the percent increase?
33.3%

5. Last year, your property tax bill was $1,152. This year, it rose to $1,275. What’s the percent increase?
10.6%
6. Research funding at WSU increased 40 percent this year to $218 million. What was the funding last year?
$155,000,000
7. Joe Smith wants to build a 2,500-square-foot house for him. The builder tells him it will cost $112 a square foot to build. How much will the house cost?
$280,000

8. Desperate for revenue, the government decides to increase the tax on beer. The tax was 5 percent. But now it's jumped to 6 percent.

     a. What’s the percent increase?
20%
     b. What’s the percentage increase?
1%

9. Let’s say someone wants to establish a University District. To gain support, he/she needs to establish that safety is a problem in the area. So, Pullman had 183 assaults last year. Spokane had 502. Spokane has 200,000 people. Pullman has 25,000. How do we compare those two numbers? Is the average person more likely to be assaulted in Spokane or Pullman? (Again, not real figures.)
Pullman: 0.0073 x 1000 = 7.3
Spokane: 0.0025 x 1000 = 2.51

10. Five houses sold in your neighborhood for the following prices: $225,000;  $207,000; $3.2 million; $129,000; $192,000.

     a. What’s the mean price?
$6,550,600
     b. What’s the median?
$207,000

To publish or not to publish

I wouldn't publish this story because there isn't adequate proof that the accusation is warranted. The reporter has a unanimous source which could be reliable or not. But I would press the reporter to look further into the issue and look for a source that maybe would be willing to give their name. That way if this accusation is true, it would look more legitimate in print, and defend the publication and the reporter from law suits. A story this huge, one that could ruin the reputation of the senator very easily, should not be printed if there is even a chance that it is false.

oxford comma

 

Correct the following sentences. If the sentence is already correct, write “correct.”

1. He looked through the door, but he did not see anyone inside the church.

2. "We could wait to see if anyone else comes, or we could go back home," she said.

3. Reed, a graduate of Washington State University, was elected Secretary of State in 2000.

4. The organization paid the speaker $1,000, but its officers were unable to attend the event.

5. According to Washington state law, bars will become smoke-free on Feb. 15.

6. He saw Karen and they had coffee.

7. The bales are then sold to a processing center in Tacoma, Wash., which ships them to Moscow, Idaho.

8. It was raining so we stayed home.

9. Later he phoned again.

correct

10. This will end up effecting consumers, she said.

11. He introduced the speaker to Floyd, Moos and Wulff.

Appositions, hyperbatons and non-restrictive relative clauses: We don't need to remember the names of these grammar tools. But let's look at how they can help us form shorter descriptive phrases. In other words, squish these two sentences into one.

1. Sam Reed spoke at the Honors College on Wednesday, Sept. 22. Reed is a graduate of Washington State University.
Sam Reed, Washington State University graduate, spoke at the Honors College on Wednesday, Sept. 22.

2. The concert will be held on Friday night. The concert is part of WSU's Homecoming Weekend.
The concert, part of WSU's Homecoming Weekend, will be held Friday night.

3. President Elson S. Floyd promised he would lobby legislators in Olympia. Floyd is frustrated by cuts to higher education.
President Elson S. Floyd, frustrated by cuts to higher education, promised he would lobby legislators in Olympia.

Initiative questions

1.$44,952,015.27
2.$15,306,285.58
3. STOP THE FOOD & BEVERAGE TAX HIKES
4.CIT TO PROTECT OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE
5.
6. $14,448,077.83
7.
8.AMERICAN BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION
9. National
10. From 5/27/10-8/26/10
11. 8
12. 11.2 million
13. Jack B Korsten, Daniel A Kraft, Janet M Valley, Mark A Baldwin, Frank W Byles
14. 0.00127 %
15.  In-Kind contributions are non-cash contributions, so donating services that save the committee money. (e.g. offering free advertising promoting a cause, wedding present is photography of the wedding, volunteering time to help at promotional functions)
16. 11.2 million?
17.

Questions

1. How did you initially get into journalism?

2. Why did you choose politics as your specialty?

3. How do you separate your personal opinion from your reporting?

Income tax

I think that people who earn more should be taxed more. If it is the other way around, we are furthering the income gap between the wealthy and the poor.