MESSAGE FROM THE NJLSA by Paul Santelle
It's Time for all of us to Step Up, Protect and Defend our Livelihoods!!!
The Direct Winery to Consumer Shipping Bill S766 that would allow both in state and out of state wineries to ship directly to New Jersey consumers is going to the Senate Floor and we unfortunately anticipate that it will pass. It is hard to fathom why our Senate would even ponder the notion of considering a complex and controversial piece of proposed legislation like S766 when taking into consideration that they are staring down the barrel of an $11 billion budget deficit that is confronting them in the upcoming budget sessions. Clearly, somewhere down the yellow brick road (that is now far behind us), some legislators got lost in OZ and now it’s time for us as small business owners, tax payers, employers and most importantly voters to step up, protect and defend our livelihoods!
Needless to say, the proposed legislation has made its way from the Senate Law and Public Committee to the Senate floor with few in the Senate fully understanding or comprehending how the repercussions of what they have voted on will impact the State’s entire alcohol industry. New Jersey’s alcohol industry is considered by many in the trade as an exemplary model of alcohol beverage control. Everything we have been doing is working well, and nothing is broken, aside from the fact that out of state interests have spent a lot of money to create a political perception that something needs fixing in their version of OZ. Regardless, the NJLSA will be digging in for the next assault which will take us to the Assembly and their version of the same legislation Assembly Bill A1702.
The Winery to Consumer Direct Shipping legislation, like the proposed two license challenge legislation, is another Trojan horse, that will infect the stability of our in State alcohol industry like a Trojan computer virus. Everything about this bill is the polar opposite of what the sponsors are spinning and in the end the NJLSA firmly believes that this legislation with actually hurt the State’s farm winery industry and lead to a dramatic reduction in the selection of the finer highly rated wines currently and “readily” available in our State’s retail stores. Obviously, some of our in state wineries supporting the proposed legislation were told by some Grand Wizard (in Walla Walla, Washington), to follow the yellow brick road.
This controversial and complex legislation challenges Title 33 as well as the 21st Amendment of our constitution as it relates to the integrity of the three tier system, and the NJLSA will be aggressively opposing this legislation as we make the rounds to the State’s Assembly in the coming months. We will also establish a dialog with our State’s wineries to gain a better understanding of their position as it relates to the State’s entire alcohol industry. The NJLSA fully supports the emergence of the internet as a “retailing” tool for retailers, but we also and more importantly support the integrity and stability of our three tier system; a system that supports a balanced and fair marketplace as well as the social welfare of our State’s general public.
Moving on, the NJLSA has taken a position relating Dealer Loaders that we would prefer that our State’s wholesalers and suppliers replace Dealers Loaders with a combination of deeper discounts and/or larger RIPS moving forward. Clearly, Dealer Loaders will pose an unnecessary burden of liability based on the pending record keeping and sweepstakes requirements the ABC is currently establishing for retail licenses. The ABC has indicated that May will be the beginning for an overhaul of the Dealer Loader requirements.
Finally, the NJLSA is working closely with the industry and the ABC to address the outcry and concerns from all of our members about the recent changes in the handling of breakage returns and credits. We will work to resolve some of the more pertinent underlying concerns relating to this unfortunate issue that relates to a January clarification by the ABC of how breakage should be handled. Please feel free to send your comments on this issue to me at: PaulSantelle@NJLSA.com
MARK YOUR CALENDER: Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
5th Annual NJLSA HOLIDAY TRADE SHOW
New Jersey Exposition and Convention Center, at the Raritan Center in Edison
MAKE THE EFFORT TO GET CONNECTED TO YOUR INDUSTRY!!! BY GOING TO www.NJLSA.com
Thank you to all of our members who sent in their annual dues and for anyone else considering joining the NJLSA please go to our website to get more information on how you can help us, help you, by sending in your dues along with your political ‘6-Pac’ donations. The time to get connected – IS NOW!!!
Go to www.NJLSA.com for more information regarding:
Membership, Legislative Updates and our Holiday Trade Show
DRINK RESPONSIBLY, DRIVE RESPONSIBLY!!!
