If you’ve watched any television recently, or paid attention to the contents of your mailbox, chances are good that you’ve seen many of the ads for and against I-1183, Costco’s latest attempt to rewrite the rules regarding the sale of hard spirits in its favor.

If the issues being discussed seem familiar, it’s because we rejected two schemes to deregulate and privatize liquor sales only a year ago. One of those schemes, I-1100, was Costco’s. If Costco cared about the will of the voters, its executives would have simply admitted defeat and moved on after last year’s election.

But instead, Costco is trying again. They made a few minor changes to their original proposal, refiled it, and paid for a signature drive to get it on the ballot. Now they’re sparing no expense to sell it.

Costco executives know that if they just say upfront that they want our state liquor stores’ business for themselves, I-1183 won’t pass.

So their media consultants have put together a deceptive ad campaign that falsely makes I-1183 sound like good public policy, when in fact it is a power grab.

Ads for I-1183 promise that the measure “strengthens enforcement”, “creates tougher penalties for violating liquor laws”, and “dedicates millions in new revenue for police, fire, and emergency medical services.”

In reality, I-1183 is a public safety nightmare. Passage and implementation of I-1183 would greatly expand access to liquor. Instead of 329 well-policed liquor stores selling hard spirits, there would be an estimated 1,400 privately-owned stores in the business.

Increased access to alcohol means increased consumption, and increased consumption will lead to an increase in alcohol-related crimes and illnesses, which is why the Washington State Council of Firefighters strongly opposes I-1183.

Just this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that excessive alcohol consumption cost the United States an astonishing $224 billion in 2006, or $746 per American. The CDC’s study looked at losses in workplace productivity, examined law enforcement and criminal justice expenses related to excessive alcohol consumption, and considered motor vehicle crash caused by drunk driving.

The release accompanying the study was sober in tone, but ended on a hopeful note, quoting its Alcohol Program Leader Dr. Robert Brewer (who holds a masters degree in public health) as saying: “Fortunately, there are a number of effective public health strategies that communities can use to reduce binge drinking and related harms, such as increasing the price of alcohol and reducing the number of places that sell and serve it.”

If I-1183 goes through, the number of places selling and serving alcohol will explode. That much we know; the initiative would allow gas stations and mini-marts to sell hard spirits in addition to big box stores like Costco.

What about prices? Well, surprisingly, the Office of  Financial Management thinks prices may go up instead of down under I-1183, because the markup on liquor would significantly increase. New fees would be imposed on distributors and retailers, and of course stores like Costco are going to want to take their cut. After all, that’s what I-1183 is really about: Costco helping itself to higher profits at our expense.

But it gets worse. As any Costco member knows, the company’s business model is built on volume. Costco and other big box stores have no incentive to stock a wide selection of beverages like our state liquor stores currently do.

Why would we want to trade the excellent selection at our state liquor stores for a few racks full of the same brands at stores like Costco?

By the way, it turns out that Costco is responsible for 99 percent of the money behind I-1183. Never before has one corporation spent this much money trying to buy an election. Twenty-two and half million dollars works out to $6.15 for every registered voter in Washington. That’s how much your vote alone is worth to Costco – $6.15. Costco values the votes of a family of four (with two grown children) at around half the cost of a membership. They’re getting desperate.

If you’re undecided on I-1183, or haven’t voted yet, don’t allow Costco to buy your vote. Don’t be tricked into overlooking the serious and hidden consequences of this initiative.

Let Costco know that our state, and our democracy, are not for sale at any price.

Vote NO on I-1183.

Andrew Villeneuve, a 2005 Redmond High graduate, is the founder and executive director of the Northwest Progressive Institute, a Redmond-based grassroots organization. Villeneuve can be reached at andrew@nwprogressive.org.