Increase means more money for critical state and local programs like education, healthcare, police and fire at the state, county and city levels.
Liquor sales in Oregon for the first quarter of the current fiscal year (July 2012 – June 2013) are up 7.5 percent above first quarter last fiscal year (July 2011 – June 2012).
The increase could mean a total $408 million for state, city and county distribution for the biennium (July 2011- June 2013) compared to $350 million last biennium (July 2009 – June 2011).
Liquor revenue distributions help fund critical state and local programs like education, healthcare, police and fire at the state, county and city levels.
Sales for September 2012 are up almost 4 percent compared to September 2011. Retail liquor stores have shown more than 14 percent gross sales increase in August and almost 5 percent growth in July compared to the same months in 2011.
“From the sales statistics, we can see that customers aren’t necessarily buying more alcohol, but they are purchasing more expensive and specialty products,” says Steve Pharo, Executive Director. “What we’re hearing from liquor store owners is that shoppers enjoy the low prices and wide selection that Oregon has to offer.
The OLCC stocks over 1,900 different items every day in the Portland warehouse.
Customers looking for a particular product can go to OregonLiquorSearch.com for availability and pricing. If they can’t find what they want on the shelf, they can talk to their local store owner about having the product shipped to the store at no extra cost to the consumer.
In the last two years, the OLCC has distributed more than $370 million to Oregon’s general fund, cities, counties, and drug/alcohol abuse programs. This money helps fund essential services such as schools, police and healthcare for Oregonians.
