There is a very large white warehouse somewhere in Idaho, owned by
the state where all the liquor sold anywhere from Sandpoint to Bear
Lake is stored. We had a presentation on it in the Joint Finance and
Appropriations Committee today. I'm guessing a few more trucks leave
the loading bays bound for Sandpoint than for Bear Lake. But my point
it that the state owns all this booze and for some reason that amuses
me.
It is a good thing that the liquor dispensary thing amuses
me because today I almost fell down the marble steps of the Capitol
Annex, but instead dropped my brand new state computer which fell,
broke into several pieces, and died. I picture some poor state employee
getting not just the rumored 5% pay cut, but a pink slip too, just
because I dropped my computer and something had to be cut out of the
state budget to pay for a new one. That part does not amuse me. Things
are that tight. And yes, I do know that legislative service's budget is
separate from say the budget for some poor person working through
applications for food stamps, and separate even from someone out at the
liquor dispensary loading Jim Beam.
Believe me, I'm not the only one who worries and needs
amusement. The beer and wine industry is grim about the prospect of an
increase in beer and wine taxes this year. Such a tax increase I'd
always heard was supposed to cover mental health and substance abuse
services in the state. But today someone mentioned the funds going to
education. I'm hoping they mean just for this year… Many of my
conservative friends in the legislature, for good reason I think, like
to know that there is some "nexus" or relationship between a tax and
what it is used for. I'll reserve judgement until I see the bill.
There
is one more thing booze-related that amused me lately. It was a nice
party. A Birthday party for one of my colleagues in one of the Senate
Committee rooms. There was endless cake and soda and even some kids.
There was also wine.
Sure, that might not seem all that
surprising, wine at a birthday party. But this was in the statehouse.
OK the temporary statehouse. In all my five sessions as a legislator
I've never seen beer or wine in the statehouse. I've heard the stories
about the old days and the booze cabinets in the walls and the parties
and drinking with lobbyists. But I've understood we've gone dry under
the dome since then.
I do hear rumor that there was a reception
in the Governor's office in the Old Capitol with wine not so long ago,
but I wasn't invited, so this party and wine in the committee room was
novel and impressive. I had a glass. I even took photos. Sorry, I'm not
going to share them. I'm afraid I won't get invited again. And just
having them amuses me.
And you know I need some amusement. I
broke a state computer and have spent the last four weeks watching the
state economy do as my laptop did today, falling precipitously through
thin and uncharted air.