I would agree that the state makes plenty of profit on the ABC Stores both retail and wholesale as well as provides good stable jobs with benefits for hundreds for hard working Alabamians. I cannot comment on the liquor stores in the Mobile area as they may be fine upstanding businesses. However, after working for a couple of local liquor stores in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area these types of businesses just have no morals or ethics anymore. The markup is rather large, the employee turnover is astronomical and the wages are very low. Most of these locally run liquor stores on or near Pleasure Island are pretty much tourist traps anyway. At least the State ABC Board still maintains morals, ethics and provides a stable work environment. In my opinion the State should keep the retail side and the wholesale side especially on Pleasure Island since they both make money and provide good stable jobs with benefits!

So what about the 600 plus jobs that would be lost by closing the retail stores? How much in unemployment benefits would the state be paying them? Not to mention an increase in the unemployment rate. Also Sensor Orr says it will save the state $46 million a year, but ABC gave over $200 million to the general fund last year. And that's not counting what is given to other state agencies and programs by state law or operating cost. So please tell me how that legislation is going to help better the state??