Mustio Talks New Moon Interchange, Liquor Privatization Efforts

Mustio approves amendment to end state liquor monopoly

The House voted this week to advance a measure, which contains my commonsense liquor privatization amendment, to end full government control of wine and spirits sales in the Commonwealth.

The major intent of this amended version of House Bill 790 is to make beer distributors operating in Pennsylvania a convenient one-stop shop for all of their customers’ needs with regard to wine, spirits and beer.

House Bill 790 phases out Pennsylvania’s current state-controlled wine and spirits stores gradually, as the number of privately operated outlets grows. The legislation would make available 1,200 licenses to sell wine and spirits, with beer distributors given the first opportunity to obtain a license. After the first year, the remaining licenses would be sold to the public. 

Grocery store wine licenses and wine-to-go permits are also created under the bill. Package reforms in the bill allow consumers to purchase growlers, six-packs or 12-packs at distributorships. Under current law, only full cases may be purchased from distributors.

The bill also would allow the LCB to focus solely on law enforcement, compliance and education, rather than on retail sales. It requires training for retailers and age compliance checks to ensure alcohol is kept out of the hands of minors.

Pennsylvania remains only one of two states to maintain complete control over the sale of wine and spirits. House Bill 790 marks the most expansive wine and spirit privatization legislation to pass out of the House since the end of Prohibition and the institution of the current state store system.

Pennsylvania consumers continue to demand improved selection, lower prices and increased competition in the purchase of their wine and spirits, and this amended version of House Bill 790 delivers on all of these counts.

House moves to shut off US “triple dripping”

The House voted unanimously this week in support of legislation to end “triple dipping” by retirees, whereby individuals collect a public pension or private retirement benefit while returning to work, only to collect unemployment compensation when leaving the job. 

House Bill 421 would stipulate in the Unemployment Compensation Law that any retiree who voluntarily leaves employment to maintain eligibility for retirement benefits is ineligible to collect unemployment. This also would apply to retirees who are terminated by the employer so those individuals can maintain their retirement.

Current law contains no clear prohibition against an individual collecting unemployment if he or she leaves a job to continue retirement or annuity benefits. However, the law does specify an offset of retirement benefits against unemployment benefits, meaning those individuals who have participated in these activities did not receive full unemployment benefits.

House Bill 421 now goes before the Senate for consideration.  

Mustio unveils Jack Wise interchange

On Friday March 15, I had the privilege of participating in the ceremony to officially rename the Route 376 Ewing Road Interchange in Moon Township the Jack Wise Interchange.

For decades, Jack Wise has been involved in numerous community and regional economic development projects that will continue to reap significant benefits for the entire Airport Corridor and surrounding areas for years to come.

As co-founder of both the Moon Transportation Authority and the Thorn Run Interchange project, Jack is more than deserving to have his long-time and successful community service record permanently recognized by renaming this vital transportation link that he was largely responsible for developing in his honor.