WORCESTER, Mass. - A "yes" vote on Massachuestts Ballot Question 3 would increase the number of licenses a company is allowed to hold, from 9 to 18, for off-premises consumption in the years to come, only if a retailer already owned at least eight licenses already.
The proposed law would also reduce the maximum number of all alcoholic beverage licenses that any one retailer could own or control from nine to seven for everyone else. It would also allow valid out-of-state IDs to be used when buying alcohol.
Jimmy Vasiliadis owns O'Hara's Wine and Liquors in Worcester and said he supports updating the state law. He said it would level the playing field for small stores competing with larger corporations and supermarkets.
"We are the only state in the union who doesn't allow out of state ID's," Vasiliadis said. "What we have done, the Massachusetts Package Store Association and us being members of it, we've thought about the best scenarios for everyone. We put it on the table. Even our governor agreed with Question 3 to vote 'yes' on it. "
Question 3 is getting bipartisan support across the state, from Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and number of Democratic state lawmakers.
If the question does not pass, no change would be made to the law.