Liquor laziness

Only pure negligence can account for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission’s limited operations over the past four months.

Because the commission only has one sitting member, it cannot issue liquor licences to restaurants and no violations can be heard.

Gov. Bev Perdue simply needs to appoint another member to the board in order for it to resume full operation.

The ABC board is supposed to meet monthly, but because N.C. statute requires a majority of members to be present for public meetings, the commission cannot convene.

Currently, John D. Lyon Jr. is the only person still sitting on the commission.

One member resigned last year. Another resigned in May at the behest of Perdue after forwarding an e-mail with a racist illustration.

While Perdue has managed to find the time to take a trip to Hunan Province in China, a significant part of the state’s domestic economy continues to be ignored.

Revenue from the sale of liquor in North Carolina is more than $200 million annually. This is not an industry that deserves to be so utterly mishandled.

Mike Herring, administrator of ABC commission, said that its basic day-to-day functions have not been hampered.

But without at least two members on the commission, no new liquor licenses can be approved and no violation cases can be heard.

In 1937, the Alcohol Beverage Control Bill was passed by the N.C. General Assembly. That bill established what is today the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. It now oversees all of the state’s ABC stores.

North Carolina is one of only 19 states that exercise government control over the sale of alcohol.

If the government feels so compelled to essentially monopolize the sale of spirits, then the least it can do is keep a three-member commission filled.

Making two appointments is hardly a monumental task.

The fact that it has taken over four months is simply embarrassing. Perdue must appoint more members to ensure that our state has a functioning ABC commission.