(Wine at Acme is awesome. It's also going to kill Philly's independent restaurant industry. | Photo: Jon Geeting)

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is on track to run out of money in the next few years, potentially putting taxpayers in the absurd position of subsidizing retail alcohol sales. It’s a problem of the state legislature’s making—and one they have the opportunity to solve. They should, for the benefit of us all.

(St. Benjamin Brewing | Photo: Drink Philly)

Last year, the Pennsylvania legislature passed some changes to the state liquor code that had the (perhaps unintended) consequence of making R liquor license prices rocket to queasy new heights. 

Back in the 30's, when the end of Prohibition was within sight, Pennsylvania's Prohibitionist Governor Gifford Pinchot saw the writing on the wall and created a Prohibition-lite framework for regulating alcohol in Pennsylvania. His stated goal was to "discourage the purchase of alcoholic beverages by making it as inconvenient and expensive as possible."