HARRISBURG, January 30, 2013State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today released the following statement regarding Gov. Corbett’s plans for Pennsylvania liquor stores:

“It’s obvious that there is little support in the General Assembly for the governor’s strange agenda and holding school funding hostage reveals a sad desperation.

After gutting staffing for unemployment call centers, Gov. Corbett’s plans for selling off liquor stores and handing the lottery to a foreign company would push the number of family sustaining jobs he wants to eliminate or ship overseas to more than 5,000.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want Pennsylvania children to get a first –class education and they’re willing to work to find a stable, sound revenue plan for the future.  They’re not going to fall for a liquor-for-schools scheme. Both the lottery and the liquor store systems are returning significant revenue to the state, while providing jobs that keep families out of the social service safety net and provide substantial local tax revenue.

These are the type of jobs that Pennsylvania public policy should be fostering and encouraging, rather than eliminating or shipping overseas.

While Pennsylvania’s job-creation ranking has plummeted and its unemployment rate has remained stubbornly high, the administration has busied itself by tinkering with the parts of state government that are functioning well.

Making it a little easier and a little cheaper to purchase alcohol is an odd priority to hold while our cities struggle to put enough police on the street to make people feel safe, while a million citizens have no access to health care and while urban and rural schools wonder how they’re going to make ends meet.

Gov. Corbett should be making jobs, health care and education easier to get not booze.”