Montgomery County is one of the few counties in the nation that directly controls beer, wine and liquor sales to stores and restaurants. That means big money for the county. But opponents say the program is antiquated—it dates back to the end of Prohibition—and that it doesn’t provide the range of niche beer, wine and spirits that Montgomery County customers demand. Legislation that could have ended the Department of Liquor Control’s (DLC) monopoly on alcohol sales died in Annapolis this year. Once a staunch proponent of keeping liquor control in the county’s hands, County Executive Ike Leggett has agreed to create a task force to study ways to possibly privatize the DLC. Here’s a look at the program by the numbers.
Infographics by Amanda Smallwood
Sources: Montgomery County Office of Management and Budget; Montgomery County Office of Legislative Oversight;
Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control; Montgomery County Office of the Inspector General; Bethesda Beat; Bethesda Magazine; WAMU.org
